Gran Turismo HD Becomes a Free Download (1up)

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Since Gran Turismo HD was shown as a demo at E3 this year, gamers all over the world have been left puzzled as to whether it would eventually be released as a game or not. Prior to the PlayStation 3 launch, SCE began listing it in their PS3 release schedule, and instantly everyone assumed it would be released at retail, similar to Gran Turismo 4 Prologue (which released at the end of 2003 in Japan).

Well, today SCE and Polyphony Digital have announced that Gran Turismo HD Concept--note the name change--will be made available as a free download at the PlayStation Store, starting from December 24. The real driving simulator will be available to download for a limited period, and will feature a choice of ten cars and two layouts on a single course. There will be two modes of play included--Time Attack and Drift Trial mode. The demo will also have a Network Ranking feature, presumably for the Time Attack mode.

Running up to the release of Gran Turismo 5, the "online car life simulator", it's possible a number of other concept releases will be released, but nothing is set in stone right now, including the release date of the finished game. But it's clear Kazunori Yamauchi and team are pouring their focus into the final game, rather than a cut-down preview. Still, it's free--surely PS3 owners around the world are rejoicing at the prospect of getting behind the wheel of the latest iteration in the 46 million-selling series. The download is currently only announced for Japan, but it's likely to follow in the US soon.