Yamauchi: GT PSP unlikely this year

By Robert Purchese Published 4 April, 2008

Pushed back by PS3 development.

Series creator Kazunori Yamauchi has told Eurogamer that Gran Turismo 4 on PSP is unlikely to be out in 2008.

He explained that unforeseen development issues on PS3 projects had taken precedence and forced it out of this calendar year.

"We had been developing the PSP version, but the problem was that the PS3 version took much more time and effort than we had first imagined," Yamauchi revealed.

"So that's been delayed - I don't think we'll be able to make the end of this year for the PSP version, but we are working on it."

Yamauchi went on to explain that the PSP version had changed considerably since it was announced back in 2004, and now looked likely to include online features inspired by the PS3 Gran Turismo games.

"Once we experienced PS3 online and went through all of that, we came to the conclusion that PSP should not be a standalone product - it should be linked in to the world of Gran Turismo, linked with the PlayStation 3," said Yamauchi.

The Gran Turismo series has shipped over 48 million units around the world since it was first released on the original PlayStation.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue came out last Friday and raced straight to the top of the charts, becoming the fastest-selling PS3 title over the course of a week.

It's good, too, as our Gran Turismo 5 Prologue review will tell you.

Look out for the full interview with Kazunori Yamauchi this afternoon.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (21) Latest comment 4 years ago

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

  • Widge #1 4 years ago

    IF Sony stuck analogue support in the PSP emulation, then I'd quite happily play GT2 while waiting for GTpsp!
    At the moment, you can map the d-pad to the nub, but thats hardly any use....

    I'd hope they'd get round to this, especially with MGS being release to Japan PSN, its kinda vital for aiming on that game!

  • jonsaan #2 4 years ago

    No worries mate. We'd all given up on it anyway.

    Like G'n'R and Duke Nukem.

  • Aretak #3 4 years ago

    Vapourware.

  • Les #4 4 years ago

    "Look out for the full interview with Kazunori Yamauchi this afternoon."

    Seems like all sites have an interview with the guy. He'll probably have told you that GT5p will get a damage model as DLC later this year. Hope you've asked whether it will be free or not...

  • Prodigy_BE #5 4 years ago

    Owning a PS3 and having acces to GT5p, I don't see any reason to buy GT psp anymore.
    But if they release it in '09, it 'll probably boost PSP sales more than Monster Hunter does at the moment.

    That said, I think that Yamauchi guy is a weirdo.

  • Triggerhappytel #6 4 years ago

    Well, that's hardly a surprise. If PD are finishing GT5 first then getting to work on GT PSP, it probably wouldn't be out until about 2010, by which time the PSP 2 will surely be imminent?

  • Altrezia #7 4 years ago

    that's a shock

  • Moz #8 4 years ago

    Seems like a bit of a lame excuse given as they originally suggested it would be more or less a launch title for the PSP!!! I'd given up on expecting it to ever come out.

  • bad09 #9 4 years ago

    Does anyone really care anymore?

  • JediMasterMalik #10 4 years ago

    They should stop talking about it now, there really is no point. Just release it and be done with it.

  • Widge #11 4 years ago

    Just release it?
    So stick out the unfinished game.
    GREAT PLAN!

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #12 4 years ago

    It would need to exist at all for them to be able to release it.

  • BadBoyBonner #13 4 years ago

    Could always release GT PSP Prologue: the prequel.

    Which is basically a car that you can rotate left and right laid onto a choice of avi files of GT5 tracks being played as a background - sell it for £12.99 - winner - half the players won't even notice ;-)

  • lost_soul #14 4 years ago

    Will we see the promised online update for PS2 GT4 before or after GT PSP?

  • Nithron #15 4 years ago

    This blatantly just isn't even in development..

  • Beano #16 4 years ago

    I'm surprised people are still expecting this to anything else than vapourware. Personally I'm glad they are focusing on GT5.

  • SeesThroughAll #17 4 years ago

    Gran Turismo Forever

  • Les #18 4 years ago

    "I'm surprised people are still expecting this to anything else than vapourware."

    Well, given the fact that he himself says they're still working on it, why doubt it? At the time of the launch of the PSP vapourware made sense, but a couple of years into its lifecycle is doesn't really anymore. Maybe it will move to the inevitable PSP2 whenever that gets released.

  • Ryze #19 4 years ago

    Fuck off.

    They could have got GT2 going by now via emulation if they gave a shite.

    They can kiss my arse - they'll not get a penny for GT PSP from me.

  • Ryze #20 4 years ago

    They should feel proud of themselves for helping stunt the PSP's success over the past 4 years.

    No demo? No prologue? Fuck 'em - if they bother to finish it - I'm not paying. I bought GT4 - no online play. arseholes.

  • Beano #21 4 years ago

    "Well, given the fact that he himself says they're still working on it, why doubt it?"

    Because they haven't shown anything from it yet (not even to game journalists behind closed doors)... only a few "bullshots" and a cover 3+ years ago to hype the PSP at announcement.