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Gran Turismo creator Yamauchi never expected it to be ‘this big’

When he designed the first Gran Turismo racing simulation video game, Kazunori Yamauchi had no idea that it would become as big as it is today.

As of end of March 2013, the global sales of the Gran Turismo over the last 15 years have exceeded 70 million units, and it is the best-selling Sony PlayStation franchise ever.

“When I first created the game 15 years ago, I didn’t think it would become this big – not at all. Tracing back to 1992, it took us five years to develop the Gran Turismo 1 and at that time I thought to myself that I would be satisfied if it became successful worldwide. I never thought it would continue this long to this day,” said 45-year-old Yamauchi-san, the president of Polyphony Digital Inc. and the creator of Gran Turismo.

Making an appearance at the 15th anniversary event of the Gran Turismo held at the Silverstone circuit, Yamauchi-san officially announced the upcoming sixth version of the Gran Turismo 6 (GT6) for PlayStation 3.

The GT6 is set for release in about six months’ time for the holiday season and will be featuring many new upgrades and updates.

For example, there will be a revised user interface, a new compact game engine with improved operation and increased flexibility, as well as expanded connectivity with other devices like smart phones and tablets for more online social and community interaction.

A total of 33 locations will be featured in the GT6, of which seven are new, including the Silverstone Circuit in the UK. A new course maker function has been added and there are 71 different layouts, where 19 are brand new. Players can have a choice of 1,200 cars, along with several thousand aerodynamic parts and custom wheels to design the car the way you want it. New tracks and new cars will be added continually.

To keep this game on top of its game, there are bound to be challenges but Yamauchi-san said he has never viewed the difficulties as a challenge.

“Developing the Gran Turismo is difficult every single time but I never thought of it as a hardship. I always enjoy doing it and in fact, I find it exciting to create something that some people feel is almost impossible. It’s fun and the challenges make the process all the more interesting,” he said.

He added, “Comparing 15 years ago from the first Gran Turismo till now, the actual feeling I get from creating the game has not changed and I don’t think it will ever change.”

More than just a racing simulator video game, the Gran Turismo has managed to blur the lines between virtual and reality with the Nissan GT Academy.

First ran in 2008, the GT Academy is basically a driver talent programme designed to improve people’s race craft through gaming before they make it to racing real cars. The fastest PlayStation gamers from each participating country will compete for that top spot to win a full racing season with the Nissan GT-R GT3 Nismo in a top-level championship. This year’s GT Academy will launch in July with an exclusive GT6 demo.

“When I see these GT Academy drivers and how these young lives have been changed by Gran Turismo, it really makes me feel flattered. It’s amazing how 15 years ago we made the first Gran Turismo and it is now turning gamers into real drivers on the track who win races,” said Yamauchi-san.

The Gran Turismo also serves as a platform for car manufacturers to develop new ideas and designs.

Besides collaborations with key car manufacturers, the Gran Turismo also has partnerships with tyre manufacturer Yokohama Rubber and suspension company KW Automotive.

For the upcoming GT6, both companies play the role as technical development partners for the game’s new physics engine, improving the tyre and suspension kinematic modelling in the simulator for an even more realistic experience.

The GT6 is also being considered for release on the PlayStation 4, but will be first released on the PlayStation 3.

Passionate about cars and motorsports, Cheryl Tay is a familiar face in prominent local, regional as well as international automotive titles. More of her at www.cheryl-tay.com.