Sony drops online from Gran Turismo 4

By Games Industry.biz Published 24 September, 2004

GT4 goes offline for Christmas, Sony announces at TGS, with an online GT title coming in 2005.

Polyphony Digital's long-awaited PS2 racing title Gran Turismo 4 is on track to meet worldwide release dates in early December - but at the cost of online play, which has been removed from the game.

At a press conference at the Tokyo Game Show today, Sony representatives confirmed that the game will launch in Japan on December 3rd, followed by a launch in the USA and Europe around December 14th (which probably means Friday December 17th in Europe).

However, the title will now be an offline game only, in a surprising move for the company - which had previously vaunted online play as being one of the key selling points for the new game.

The plan is now to launch Gran Turismo 4 with offline play this year, while a new Gran Turismo game with online play is provisionally scheduled for 2005 at some point. We don't know much about the new title as yet, although we'd speculate that it might be a budget-priced release, similar to the post-GT3 Gran Turismo Concept.

Strong rumours from within Sony and Polyphony Digital had suggested that online problems were the primary cause of the delay to Gran Turismo 4, with the team encountering serious difficulty in getting the online racing modes up to scratch.

It seems likely that Sony took a decision to simply drop that functionality entirely from the game in order to ensure that it hit its Christmas release date.

Picture of Games.

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Comments (74) Latest comment 7 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • bunglebonce #1 7 years ago

    Well slap me with a kipper & call me Charlie.

  • ssuellid #2 7 years ago

    Shame. It would have been nice.

  • presh #3 7 years ago

    How long have Sony had to sort this out?? Very poor.

  • martyngates #4 7 years ago

    any news on any link up play? since they have removed i.link ports from ps2 and the pstwo can u play over network?

  • valli #5 7 years ago

    Hmmm, they should have known it earlier. Delaying a game for a feature that after all this time won't make it in the final version? Oh well... good thing it's out this year then!

    A multiplayer LAN version would be nice though.

  • MonkeyMatters #6 7 years ago

    Digital Polyphony?

    no wonder they can't get the game out in working order. what happened to the original team? ;-)

    i was suspecting all along that it was due to their online ambitions which caused such delay to the game.
    Im not happy to buy two versions of the game, they better have some sort of rebate in for the online version to bring it down to just the cost of packaging for owners of the original version.

    this isnt good.

  • aabyssx #7 7 years ago

    Well, that sounds disappointing, but I (for one) don't care. I don't play online.

  • Pirotic #8 7 years ago

    looking at the release-dates, it looks like sony have pretty much forced polyphony to get it out before christmas.

    While online play isnt a big loss for 99% of us, i suspect they've also had to cut out some unfinished tracks/cars/features.. no doubt they'll be bundled as 'added extras' in the later online enabled release (which i'll be waiting for).
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/04 @ 11:38

  • lost_soul #9 7 years ago

    So they delayef the game for a year to sort out the online support and then end up dropping it, anyway?

  • valli #10 7 years ago

    unfinished tracks/cars

    Okay, so it will have only 45 tracks and 450 cars... only! :) Bring it on, I say. The Nürburgring Nordschleife track alone is worth the price.

  • Blerk #11 7 years ago

    Blimey, didn't see that one coming. But good on 'em - admit defeat and just release the damn thing.

  • Mugwum Verified Operations Director, Eurogamer Network #12 7 years ago

    "Digital Polyphony?

    no wonder they can't get the game out in working order. what happened to the original team? ;-)"

    Eek, my tired eyes missed that one.

  • Whizzo #13 7 years ago

    GT4 online could have been a killer app for PS2 online, at the moment there's very little to bother with. A PStwo with GT4 bundle with free online play could have done wonders for Sony's online service.

  • chronom4n #14 7 years ago

    To be honest, i could not give a monkeys about the online aspect of the game. I just wanted them to focus on the game itself. al this faffing about online this and online that.... did my bloody head in. So at last the game will be released this year. can't wait for the nurburgring. and it does not surprise me in the least that sony/polyphony failed to get it online smoothly. IT IS GRAN TURISMO remember!!! roll on December!!!!

  • Ali #15 7 years ago

    Twats. So it's Gran Turismo 3 with slightly better graphics and more cars, then? Money-grabbing incompetent twats.

  • speedjack #16 7 years ago

    Surprised ?

    This time last year Polyphony Digital were saying that online play was causing them BIG problems. One year on and they still ain't cracked it.

    I know zilch about programming, but I'm guessing that if Polyphony digital can't crack it, no one could.

    Whatever happens the GT fans loose - and if the online version is finally released (and my money is it won't), then we can all look forward to seeing Sony make their users pay for one games worth of content three times over.

    Okay, so Burnout 3 has online problems - but at least EA didn't try this trick.
    Edited by 2 at 24/09/04 @ 12:11

  • Tiitiz #17 7 years ago

    no idea on PS2 online stats but isn't 1m (so M$ say) Live Subscribers pretty good when you consider only 15m (as of a few months ago?) consoles are sold?

    Thats what? 7.5% of Xbox owners?

  • Tiitiz #18 7 years ago

    Oh and online surely adds value to a game no? As long as both single player and muliplayer are done right of course

  • ssuellid #19 7 years ago

    I was pissed off that the excellent iLink extras in GT3 were dropped - you could hook up multiple consoles for head to head racing and have a dedicated race cam console.

  • gamingdave #20 7 years ago

    i went and go play that damn burn out and decided to go back and play GT3, fuck is GT3 boring as hell. its a different world, aint it.

    GT4 needs car damage and crash sequences for me to play it.. i need a real experience from a racing game, and this aint it.

    wtf? (again) yes its a different world, its totaly different type of game, like comparing halo and splinter cell. So you will not play it unless the cars explode and wheels fly off everywhere? Yes GT should have car damage IMO but saying you want a real experience from a racer AND you want GT to be more like burnout is a contradiction.

  • mcmonkeyplc #21 7 years ago

    This wouldn't happen on the xbox...

    /runs

  • RumpyStumpy #22 7 years ago

    Forza Motorsport!
    Online - check
    Car Damage - check
    Good AI - check

    GT4
    Online - erm maybe
    Car Damage - nope
    Good AI - LMAO



    Edited by 1 at 24/09/04 @ 12:54

  • ssuellid #23 7 years ago

    Forza might turn out to be a steaming pile of shite that was well hyped tho. Hope it isn't but there is no way of judging a game before its released.

  • RumpyStumpy #24 7 years ago

    Ah so you've played the completed Forza have you Rumpy?

    Idiot.

    Played the latest build!

    Twat.

  • tiddles #25 7 years ago

    I don't think there's anything wrong with wanting crashes in GT. Ok, so it's never going to be Burnout, but crashes are a part of real racing. Games like TOCA 2 manage to combine realistic racing with convincing crashes and physics, so why can't we ask the same of GT? Afaik, the lack of crashes in GT is down to licensing issues, rather than any desire for realism or otherwise.

  • RumpyStumpy #26 7 years ago

    Nope but prologue was a steeming pile of old camel piss.

    Same game different clothes.

  • [maven] #27 7 years ago

    Maybe the problems with online aren't on the code-side (i.e. Polyphony) but on the infrastructure-side (Sony's servers). Maybe Sony have to rethink their networking model and that's why they've given up for now (until they can revamp their online service?).

  • Pirotic #28 7 years ago

    online play was working two years ago, i remember it being a bit jumpy but they hadn't got around to optimising the protocols or coding any lag countermeasures (like predicted movement).

    Im guessing the problem isnt the online play, but rather the lobbying functions and sonys server infrastructure, i haven't seen the latest SDK but last time i checked PS2 developers had to pretty much do it all themselves, with xbox live you get all the ready-made tools with the SDK so you can implement lobbys, searchs etc in a few days.

    Polyphony have probably been waiting for sony to pull their finger out and get an online system working, which hasn't happened. and as a result have decided to delay the online release while they code it themselves.

  • Beano #29 7 years ago

    asd, I agree... to many GT-killers have we seen ?
    How may have failed ?

    "lots" and "all" are the answers :)

    If Forza is actually worth anywith... great!!... I'll buy it.
    But I have no expections regarding it - it's all hype right now.

  • KyuZo #30 7 years ago

    *sniff*

    Well... it better be good offline!

    Hearing wierd stuff about some director mode and things...?

  • Peekaboo #31 7 years ago

    "Nope but prologue was a steeming pile of old camel piss.

    Same game different clothes. "

    Hmmmm, not according to the things I've read. That above statement should read "Not played it, played the money spinning demo, and obviously don't pay attention to certain articles regarding the final version which isn't even finished yet......" ;-)

  • SteveB #32 7 years ago

    Blimey, very embarassing for SONY. Their flagship online game, not online.

    Just goes to prove that SONY were caught with their pants down with regard to online play for this generation of consoles.

  • Blerk #33 7 years ago

    It's getting really bloody scary in here!

  • Beano #34 7 years ago

    BOO!

  • Dizzy #35 7 years ago

    >Just goes to prove that SONY were caught with their pants down with regard to online play for this generation of consoles.

    Yep...

    And it will probably happen again next gen.. Sony is a marketing company... not a software company.

    Anway.. GT4 not online is a bit of a letdown, but the online fanatics probably have other games that interest them more (PGR, Burnoout,...). GT4 would be a bit of a boring online game IMHO.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/04 @ 15:39

  • Royal Fool #36 7 years ago

    Forza sadly doesn't have many famous car manufacturer licenses - Sony got them exclusive. But Forza is going to be natively supported through Live from the get-go... if PGR2 was any indication of what online racers are capable of, wait until you see Forza with it's integrated Live functions.

    I don't have an online adapter for PS2 (Bought one but never bothered to take it out of the box and eventually returned it) so I don't give a rat's behind about GT4 being online or not, but it is rather pathetic to see them flaunting this feature all this time and now claim that they have removed it. Pfft.

  • Tippytappy #37 7 years ago

    2-6 players on LAN connections, we'll just have to see if Xlink is up to the job of producing lag free racing. Come December - January we'll find out for sure. But the new features they've added sound great...

  • Zero Beat #38 7 years ago

    Bugger, I was hoping to see a few unique online features from Polyphony.

  • gamingdave #39 7 years ago

    Online or not, this game will destroy Forza in terms of sales.

  • Dizzy #40 7 years ago

    >Online or not, this game will destroy Forza in terms of sales.

    Ha yes.. the classic "this game is better because it sold more" defence.

    We will be thinking about you when we are racing our mates ONLINE in some other racegame that we care about.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/04 @ 16:01

  • gamingdave #41 7 years ago

    Dizzy, I never said anything about "being better"

    I simply said it will sell more, which it will. I doubt that being offline online will have any real impact on the actual sales. Yes people are upset it isnt online, as they either have or planed on getting the BB adapter. Yes it would have been nice to have online options, but to the vast majority of people its a non issue.

    For me id rather see AI improved, damage, and proper collision (with trackside objects) before I see online in the GT series. Theyre good, but not great.

  • IronGiant #42 7 years ago

    How many copies has GT3 sold to date? i think you'll find it quite a lot really.. being offline will make little to no difference to the sales figures. If you think Forza is gonna be a massive seller just look how poorly PGR2 and RSC2 have done at retail.

  • Tippytappy #43 7 years ago

    How many copies has GT3 sold to date? i think you'll find it quite a lot really.
    ------------------------------

    12 million seems a lot to me, the best selling game on PS2 with GTA VC lingering in 2nd.

  • Errol #44 7 years ago

    The online section is irrelevant.

    If I want to play online, I use a pc.

  • daSmirnov #45 7 years ago

    IronGiant... I don't know about RSC2 - but PGR2 I don't recall ever seeing out of the Xbox top 10. It's been a massive seller.

  • masterson #46 7 years ago

    "Satan-san could we have that again please in some kind of recognised language?"

    Steady on fella. Bear in mind not everyone has English as their first language. Doesn't change the fact that what he was saying was total bollocks mind you...

  • valli #47 7 years ago

    deathgibbon, read my post again. Nurburgring alone is worth it.

    Nurburgring + new console isn't.

    Besides, GT4s version is far superior in terms of realism and level of detail.

  • Scimarad #48 7 years ago

    Did I play PGR2 online? No. Did I play Burnout3 online? No. Could I give at rat's arse that GT4 isn't online? You guess...

    Online features are far from being critical in the success of current gen console games...

  • valli #49 7 years ago

    For me, it is as I don't have an Xbox.

    Besides, I want to play with GT's physics engine on Nürburgring so there isn't any other game that does that.

  • bungalooBunny #50 7 years ago

    "Did I play PGR2 online? No. Did I play Burnout3 online? No. Could I give at rat's arse that GT4 isn't online? You guess... "

    To me this sums up all the dumb comments of PS2 fanboys 'not caring' with the fact Sony has decided to drop the online component for GT4..

    The only people that won't care about it are the ones that still live in the past, blinded by their devotion, and haven't yet experienced the future.

    Having played PGR2 online a lot I can safely say that and only by experimenting it can you tell online is the way of the future for sports/racing games. This is simply because these games are about COMPETITION, and competing a human is always better than competing a dumb ai routine, which can't even socialise with you.

  • HarryB #51 7 years ago

    just cant beat project gotham 2 so why try mofos :D

  • Freek #52 7 years ago

    Seems odd, espcialy after reading numerouse previews with the journo's raving about the online multiplayer mode and how its gonna be a key title for Sony.

    Strong rumours from within Sony and Polyphony Digital had suggested that online problems were the primary cause of the delay to Gran Turismo 4, with the team encountering serious difficulty in getting the online racing modes up to scratch.

    What's up with that anyway? Read allot about Sony online games "not working", first Resident Evil, now Gran Tourismo. Now correct me if i'm wrong here, but co-op shooters and racing games aren't exactly ground breaking online games, are they? It's not like it's never been done before, pretty standard stuff.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/04 @ 20:48

  • ruttyboy #53 7 years ago

    Hahahaha! Why is it so hard for some people here to believe that a lot of people (including myself) actually, truthfully don't care about it being on-line? It being on-line is way down the list of things I want in GT4.

  • l_p_4_7 #54 7 years ago

    To all the people who say they don't care about it being online...why even bother posting on this topic? If you don't care, be quiet and let the people who do discuss. It just shows how shallow and selfish you are. Just because you don't have broadband. Or the network adapter. Or the desire for a truly amazing interesting and unique racing game experience.

    I'm guessing all you want is just another GT rehash.

    Typical.
    Edited by 1 at 24/09/04 @ 22:38

  • chronom4n #55 7 years ago

    i gotta say this... the gt series is a bad ass achivement. yes in the psone days gt ruled. and there was really one one or tow types of racers available. gt or ridge racer. now the market has opened up immeasurably. because of the power of the current consoles developers are finding new ways to keep us entertained. bo3 would not have been possible up until now. and trust me it will get better. i think racers will become accessible to different types of gamers. those that like the sim side. i.e. GT. arcade side BO3 and any other game in between will suffice. but for me having played pgr2 the only track that was worthwhile was nurburging. all the other were ok burnout 3 is good but does not wow me terribly. just the speed. and then it becomes pretty repetitive. and one final thing real race car driver will end up learing the way a car handles purely from GT4. so to me that is how i see the race car genre on the consoles building up. and anyways take all the replays from all the current racers and they can't even touch the replays that gt4 gives out.

  • ruttyboy #56 7 years ago

    "To all the people who say they don't care about it being online...why even bother posting on this topic? If you don't care, be quiet and let the people who do discuss. It just shows how shallow and selfish you are. Just because you don't have broadband. Or the network adapter. Or the desire for a truly amazing interesting and unique racing game experience.

    I'm guessing all you want is just another GT rehash.

    Typical."

    Oh dear.

  • valli #57 7 years ago

    real race car driver will end up learing the way a car handles purely from GT4

    Hmm, I wouldn't want to meet that driver on the streets, that's for sure.

    IMO GT has always managed to balance realistic vs fun driving perfectly, I don't believe it's 100% realistic and I don't believe it sould be either. A Logitech Pro Wheel will get you very close to the real thing but there's still about a zillion factors that occur in real life that are impossible to simulate.

    Stuff like proper distance judgement from our 3D sight or g-forces. Feedback from the pedals, all those different sounds coming from the wheels, and the list goes on.

    For a realistic drive, try "Live For Speed" on the PC and notice how hard it is to get a good lap.

  • l_p_4_7 #58 7 years ago

    @ruttyboy:
    Oh dear indeed.
    Oh dear that you are boasting about something that would have brought enjoyment to others being removed just because you weren't particularly interested in it.

    If you ask me, this is a major letdown for the GT series. One of the main features that could have actually breathed some well needed life into the series (which has been getting stale ever since GT2 IMO) has been axed!
    It's painstakingly obvious that they just want the game out for xmas to boost sales.
    Edited by 5 at 24/09/04 @ 23:21

  • ruttyboy #59 7 years ago

    OK, firstly I'd like an explanation of how I was 'boasting' 0_o

    Then I'd like a logical explanation of why I shouldn't be allowed to counter one view on a situation (ie. it being on-line is important) with my own view on a comments thread.

    Thanks :)

  • l_p_4_7 #60 7 years ago

    OK, sorry, maybe you weren't boasting and you are entitled to your own opinion but maybe if you had also said that you could see how it is a major disappointment for others who actually were looking forward to this feature (me included) then I wouldn't have taken it the wrong way.

    No hard feelings :)

  • ruttyboy #61 7 years ago

    Absolutely, I can see how it's a disappointment to some (just not me ;). My original post was just in dis-belief at those in this thread who were unable to accept that some people aren't that bothered and were accusing those who said so of some kind of weird Sony auto-defense mechanism.

    As you say, no hard feelings :)

    I'll be happy if it just looks as good as Prologue (and indications are that it will be even better, with 3D spectators etc.) and has the second-hand cars and modding options. Plus they claim that AI is no longer an issue, although they said that with GT2 and GT3...

  • l_p_4_7 #62 7 years ago

    The worst thing about this sorry episode is that fact that the online elements of GT4 were advertised by Sony as being the games biggest strongpoint; no lag, races with up to 6 players, high score tables with laps times etc. Then, all of the sudden, they go and get rid of it just like that!

    Imagine the outcry if Criterion had removed online play from BO3 at the last minute!
    Edited by 1 at 25/09/04 @ 01:23

  • Kraftwurm #63 7 years ago

    The only thing that bothers me is the thought of people buying an XBOX just because they loose the hope that PS2 will come up with decent online play one day. Be strong! Don't buy an XBOX.
    In 10 years or 20 you will be happy to be one of the people who actually played the only console that will be remembered for being relevant and worthwile in the good old "zero" years of gaming history. Yes, and they will even have tears in their eyes when they softly touch their old Atari 2600...

  • bungalooBunny #64 7 years ago

    ruttyboy: You obviously didn't read all posts. The discussion was going along the lines of...

    "Online features are far from being critical in the success of current gen console games... "

    I never said that everyone should be desperate for it to be online, but to actually dismiss that component as something of minor importance is simply stupid. Weather or not you'd use the online component of the game it's obvious it would bring the game into the present. As it is is just a GT3 rehash, and it sounds that's all you 'cave people' want anyway so you should be happy.

    One day you might lose your fear of socializing, competing head-to-head with other humans and realising how enjoyable the multiplayer experience is. It's pretty amazing and it has just started...

  • l_p_4_7 #65 7 years ago

    @Kraftwurm:
    I'm sorry to say this, but even as a PS2 owner, I think it is looking increasingly unlikely that it will ever have a really decent genre defining online game (apart from the one exception SOCOM II).

    This is because IMO the online elements of PS2 are simply an afterthought in the sense that they were not thought out properly and were merely put in place to rival Live! in the short term.

    The fact that you need to insert a DVD everytime you access Central Station is an example of this. It's clear to see that Sony wasn't and still isn't serious about online play in this generation of console.
    There's always PS3 though...

  • MartinJ #66 7 years ago

    For me Online Play is very important as you can then easiliy find players on your level

    I guess I will still buy the game as it still will be enjoyable. Luckily they support lan so you can use tunneling software to play the game.

    So I will have bought 4 GT games for the Ps2. GT3, GT4 Prologue, GT4, GT Online and I ofcourse have the GT Force Pro Wheel

  • Scimarad #67 7 years ago

    "One day you might lose your fear of socializing, competing head-to-head with other humans and realising how enjoyable the multiplayer experience is. It's pretty amazing and it has just started..."

    Great assumption, you twat!

    I play online games on my PC, the only reason I stopped playing FFXI was because it was eating too much of my time. TRY TO GRASP THIS POINT: There are a hell of a lot of console owners who really could not give a shit if their console games are online capable or not. Fine, there a lot of people who DID want to play GT4 online and they will be disapointed but I think I am being pretty accurate in saying that this is not a big deal for most fans of the series.

    Exactly how many console owners play online compared to the total amount of console owners? I'd be pretty curious to know.

    As to why people who aren't interested in the online capabilities are commenting on this thread, could it have something to do with all the comments are about GT4 being shit with this feature removed? You work it out...

    Edited by 1 at 25/09/04 @ 11:22

  • AtomicBanana #68 7 years ago

    'Exactly how many console owners play online compared to the total amount of console owners? I'd be pretty curious to know. '

    Well someone has to make the push forward with online/new features, and a lot of people are just pissed of that sony isn't the one to offer it. That's why I *still* dnt have a ps2.

    Just made worse by the fact that sony themselves were hyping thsi feature. I used to think it was a joke when people descibed sonys methods as 'hyping everyone up with features, then casually drop them at the last moment' but that's what they keep doing.

  • valli #69 7 years ago

    *LOL*

    The utter stupidity in some of these comments is quite something. Like, for example, the post above.

  • #70 7 years ago

    naw. I think forza looks quite good, valli. surely it is a potential gt4 replacement?

  • captain-future #71 7 years ago

    online is overrated IMHO

    whoever paid 40 dollar for the preview-edition will cough up 60 dollar for the GT 4 online-edition.

    BTW: GT4 is overrated too.

  • Stinktier #72 7 years ago

    I couldn`t care less about online play. I`d rather play with, uh, I mean by myself. Anyone happen to know what a kipper is??

  • Virvel #73 7 years ago

    GT4, I have been waiting for a year now, and I expected Sony to implement online support. I am not interested in sitting alone playing some medicre AI (if the prologue version reflects whats to come), I want to sit in my couch and play against living people.

    I never thought I would say this, but GT4 is no longer of interest to me, I will rather buy TOCA2, WRC4 or some of the other online-enabled racing game that is out this fall.

    If I am lucky, TOCA2 sits on the shelves today. Ill take a copy with me home and forget about GT4 untill there is online support.

    Still, I look forward to when GT4-online is here.

  • valli #74 7 years ago

    I am not interested in sitting alone playing some medicre AI (if the prologue version reflects whats to come)

    I wouldn't call Prologue's AI for mediocre, it was bloody horrible. Just as bad as we remember it from the earlier games! Hopefully they'll take a look at Burnout 3 and TOCA2 to see that good AI can[/b] be done in these kind of games.

    There's a rumour about a LAN mode slapped in instead. With a bit of luck, some smart coders will make a tunneling software that lets us play over Internet. The hardcore GT comunities around the world could have servers running 24h/day within weeks from release.

    Still, Sony forked things up big time with the whole online mode. That must hurt...

  • BartonFink #75 7 years ago

    Jeybus talk about milking it three versions of GT4. Give me a break.
    Things must be really be in rag order at Polyphony Digital. This thing has been delayed to epic proportions at this stage.