Sony Cancels Gran Turismo 4 Online Mode

Representatives from Sony and second party developer Polyphony Digital have announced at a press conference in Tokyo that Gran Turismo 4 will be released in Japan on 3rd December and the U.S. and Europe on 14th December, allaying fears that the game would be delayed into next year. However, the company also announced that the much-anticipated online mode for the game has been removed from this iteration of the title. This is something of a shock to many, considering the online mode was one of the most important unique selling points for the game compared to Gran Turismo 3. Although no reason was given for the removal, most observers assume that this was the only way in which the game could be delivered in time for Christmas. The game has already suffered several delays, and there have been several rumors that Polyphony Digital were experiencing delays in implementing the online features. The developer has claimed that an online Gran Turismo game will be released in 2005, but gave no indication of what form this will take. This move gives an interesting insight into the importance Sony assigns (or is being forced to assign) to online gaming. However, considering that more EyeToy cameras have been sold than network adaptors for the PlayStation 2, some might argue the company’s logic does make sound commercial sense for the current hardware iteration.