Is anyone planning on getting GT for the PSP when it comes out in October?

We’re an open-minded bunch at the Gear and we really wish folks would throw more events like Downshift Sessions’s 10th Anniversary party for Gran Turismo that celebrates the marriage between automotive design, art, gaming and music. Because gadgets aren’t drab little things anymore and we like that added touch of art to go with our gear. I do, at least.

Last week at the Classic Car Club in Manhattan, Staple Design threw their first annual Downshift Session with Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi in attendance. Not very many games can change the landscape of the industry as a whole, but Polyphony Digital was able to do just that with the GT series for Sony’s PlayStation and not just from a gaming standpoint. Musicians would scramble to get their tracks on the latest version and Nissan employed the designers to make the interior of the new Skyline kick as much ass in person as it does in the game, for example.

Artist HAZE was also on-hand to show off his one-of-a-kind hand-painted Lotus Exige that’s up for auction with proceeds to benefit Studio in a School. Kid Sister performed (yeah, I don’t know who that is either). And Jeff Staple himself chronicled the hit game with an array of artwork inspired by each version.

Congrats, Gran Turismo, and we look forward to another decade of your badass series.

Gran Turismo’s creator, Kazunori Yamauchi, was making noises in an interview to the effect that the sim racing series might be coming to the PC. Historically, if someone in his position with regard to a game makes comments like that, it means that the port is practically finished, or they’re already working on it.

He says they’re thinking mainly of “the Chinese market,” which is apparently mostly PCs. I say this is good news, though I’ve never been too much of a fan of the series (if I’m honest, it’s too hard). It’ll look better, and since it’s child’s play to hook up one of many PC or console controllers and accessories, it might even control better.

Check out the fat, finalized list of cars available in GT5:Prologue. I can say with authority that I’m pretty awful at driving sims, but I’m formidable at Need For Speed. From this list, I’d say my favorites are:
Domestic: 2005 Subaru WRX STI Spec C
Exotic: Audi R8 4.2 (semi-exotic I guess)
You’ll find the whole list after in the Read More or via the via.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue line-up News [Eurogamer]
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Just in time (not really) for the release of the latest iteration in the Gran Turismo franchise, Logitech has announced the Driving Force GT racing wheel, which appears to be the most advanced wheel ever created. It features the usual force feedback, but it’s said to be more powerful this time and it has a 24-position real-time adjustment dial so you can tweak your brake bias, traction control and damper settings all on-the-fly.
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Skateboard Pete[r Ha] (yes, a delicious take-off of Pharrell’s nickname) is notorious for his hatred of recent TV adverts, but I don’t see how he could hate this one for Gran Turismo 5. It’s pretty straight forward: family walks into an electronics store, kids want TV and the game which the father thought was real life footage. He then freaks out because it’s so realistic.

See Sony, keep it simple. It’s the KISS principle.

Sony Gets It Right With This Gran Turismo 5 Spot [Kotaku]