GT Academy Hits USA

Gran Turismo 5 GT Academy November 16th, 2010 by Famine

Confirming what we heard back in February, the American iteration of GT Academy has been unveiled today. Registration will commence on December 6th for the familiar three-phase competition with the 2011 winner being trained and enrolled as a professional racing driver in preparation for a “major race event” next year, along with a “reality TV” show on SPEED chronicling the whole competition.

Details to date suggest the preliminary virtual rounds will be a test of driver skill in Gran Turismo 5 using  “pre-selected Nissan vehicles” (which only slightly narrows the field for anyone looking for sneaky practice) and all entrants will receive “free digital content” just for playing – prompting yet more rumours about Downloadable Content. The top 32 drivers will then be invited to a live GT5 National Finals, with the 16 leading players taken to the by-now familiar GT Academy Boot Camp.

Thanks to deep_sky on GTPlanet for the tip-off!

Sony Computer Entertainment America LLC (SCEA) and Polyphony Digital Inc., in collaboration with Nissan North America, announced today the opportunity of a lifetime for gaming and racing enthusiasts — the debut of the GT Academy in the U.S. Starting December 20th, fans can compete in Gran Turismo® 5 exclusively on the PlayStation®3 (PS3™) for a chance to make dreams of becoming a race driver with a professional team a reality. Registration for the GT Academy competition begins on December 6th, and fans who think they have what it takes can find more information about the program at: http://us.gran-turismo.com/.

GT Academy will challenge gamers and racing fans alike across the U.S. to compete in a series of online time trials in pre-selected Nissan vehicles in Gran Turismo 5. All participants will earn free digital content just for playing, as well as have an opportunity to win prizes for winning regional time trials. The top 32 virtual racers in the country will be invited to compete in the live national finals event in March 2011 to become one of 16 GT Academy finalists. The 16 finalists will compete against each other in a series of challenges, including behind the wheel of real Nissan race cars, for a chance to become a professional race car driver as the GT Academy winner for the U.S. The winner will have the opportunity to train with elite race car drivers at international tracks and race as part of a professional team.

Available only on PS3 on November 24, 2010, Gran Turismo 5 features realistic driving physics and graphics that set new standards in the Gran Turismo franchise. Gran Turismo 5 will deliver the most realistic and comprehensive racing experience available, including more than 1,000 licensed cars, a Course Maker, and a robust online racing community. Additionally, Gran Turismo 5 integrates stereoscopic 3D technology, bringing a new layer of realism to racing fans.

“With the upcoming launch of Gran Turismo 5, it’s a very exciting time to team with Nissan to announce GT Academy,” said Scott A. Steinberg, VP of Product Marketing, SCEA. “With the realistic racing experience that only Gran Turismo 5 provides, GT Academy will identify someone who truly has the skills to become a pro race car driver, providing the chance of a lifetime to win the ultimate prize.”

“This is a great opportunity for Nissan to bring GT Academy to the U.S. and support the launch of Gran Turismo 5″ said Jon Brancheau, Vice President Marketing, Nissan. “Gran Turismo 5 provides an amazingly realistic racing experience and we’re taking that to the next level by putting 16 finalists behind the wheel of a Nissan race car with the chance to become a race driver with a professional team. Nissan vehicles are known for innovation and performance, so this is a perfect way to demonstrate and deliver on that promise.”

The competitors’ road to victory will be documented in a multi-episode reality show airing exclusively on SPEED channel and the PlayStation®Network in 2011. The reality show series will start filming in March 2011 from the GT Academy finals through training as a pro race driver.

The overall competition will run as follows:

Phase One

Racing enthusiasts will put their racing and gaming skills to the test as they compete in various regional online ladders playing Gran Turismo 5 on PlayStation®Network. Finalists will then participate in a live head-to-head competition.

Phase Two

16 lucky finalists emerge from the live event and go behind the wheel of real cars, including the Nissan 370Z and GT-R, at a comprehensive GT Academy ‘boot camp’. The ‘boot camp’ will be featured as part of a multi-episode reality show to air on SPEED.

Phase Three

The 2011 U.S. Winner will train to become a professional driver in preparation for competing as part of a professional team at a major race event.

For full terms and conditions and more information about GT Academy please visit: http://us.gran-turismo.com/us/

http://us.gran-turismo.com/us/news/d5319.html

Edit: A full list of rules has been released on the 2011 GT Academy portion of the official site and, sorry Canadians, but it’s only for “legal U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older as of December 6, 2010.”.

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135 Comments

Newest comments are displayed first.

  1. November 17th, 2010 at 7:26 am - #
    PJ

    As long as if you win, you don’t get a season of NASCAR, then i’ll be interested. But i’m in Jamaica -____-

  2. November 16th, 2010 at 11:37 pm - #
    lapierre4

    That’s really sad because I am Canadian and I would have got good chances to make it to the national finals because last year I finished 5th in Canada… But I couldn’t pick up my prize (GT PSP) because I was only 16 and now I’m 17. So maybe when I become elligible, Canada is included!

  3. November 16th, 2010 at 10:44 pm - #
    Joe J

    Finally, the Americans will stop complaining about being left out of things now, and will stop using the European competition as a counter point when people say “the US gets everything”.

    Think of countries like, say, Singapore, India, Argentina. What have they ever got?

    • November 16th, 2010 at 11:32 pm - #
      pancho23

      @Joe J: 2012, GT Academy Argentina, Brazil, Chile. Well… Sony is trying to bond with LatinAmerica.

  4. November 16th, 2010 at 10:03 pm - #
    unoc

    Any news on the rest of the world GTA Academy? Australia is a calling

  5. November 16th, 2010 at 9:15 pm - #
    crisco_21

    Im Canadian, mabey I will imigrate to the states just for this…nah mabey not

  6. November 16th, 2010 at 8:16 pm - #
    Jump_Ace

    I’m cautiously optimistic, I wish I wasn’t so out of practice, but I just can’t play Prologue anymore :( I highly doubt I’ll even make the top 64, LOL.

    Jerome

  7. November 16th, 2010 at 7:51 pm - #
    Zuel

    OUTSTANDING!!! It’s about time we Yanks have a turn at GT Academy.

  8. November 16th, 2010 at 7:34 pm - #
    Ferrari

    don’t care about this Academy
    I care about the game

  9. November 16th, 2010 at 6:55 pm - #
    smoky427

    24 nov everybody buzy with full game
    wrong time!

    • November 16th, 2010 at 7:53 pm - #
      Zuel

      I agree that it’s bad timing but who cares. We’re strong Americans and we have a turn to prove what we can do..

  10. November 16th, 2010 at 5:31 pm - #
    pk_090

    so finally the yanks will stop winging and complaining about us Europeans having GT academy…..now when will us europeans have a chance at winning a tissot watch…..

    • November 17th, 2010 at 9:27 am - #
      TTownEP

      What is winging? Do you mean whining?

  11. November 16th, 2010 at 5:15 pm - #
    Philmangt

    Sweet i placed something like 80th in the last gt academy

  12. November 16th, 2010 at 4:44 pm - #
    Benny44

    Maybe there will be a separate one for Canada? : ) That would significantly increase my odds.

  13. November 16th, 2010 at 4:40 pm - #
    yomamma

    i just saw all the forza fanbase run to buy a ps3 and pre-order GT5!

    • November 16th, 2010 at 5:15 pm - #
      Philmangt

      The funny thing is, that none of them will know how to drive well enough to win anything because too used to driving in forza lol

    • November 16th, 2010 at 7:36 pm - #
      GoldUltima

      Gran Turismo 5 sucks! The game looks like it’s running on the PS1! The physics are stupid and hard and there’s too many cars! I can’t believe how much this game suuuuu…… Really?! I real race car driver?! I can finally put all of my watching of “The Fast and Furious” and racing with a laggy wireless wheel that only turns 360 degrees in total, which only makes the game more accurate!

  14. November 16th, 2010 at 4:39 pm - #
    Super_Colossal

    I was seriously going to go to Licoln Tech to start my long pursuit to be a professional driver. If I was able to do this…you have no idea how happy I’d be. I’m going to practice my ass off at this. I’m 18…know how to drive stick…live in Maryland…and I think I’m pretty good at GT. I seriously hope I can do it. To all you out there competing later on…good luck, and I’ll hope to keep you in my rear-view :)

    • November 16th, 2010 at 4:41 pm - #
      Super_Colossal

      I meant Lincoln Tech.

  15. November 16th, 2010 at 4:38 pm - #
    GlobeKIDD

    IM pissed. I turn 18 just 22 days later…..

  16. November 16th, 2010 at 3:46 pm - #
    falango

    Awesome, cuz ya know I didn’t want to take part anyway……
    Thanks for excluding Canada Sony. Totally appreciate it!!

  17. November 16th, 2010 at 3:46 pm - #
    OmegaAbyss

    I was in the top 300 in the last competition, so hopefully with a bit more practice…

  18. November 16th, 2010 at 3:02 pm - #
    dbarrade

    This is fantastic, playing the last time trial, focusing and really trying to get a better time was the best online gaming experience I’ve ever had, and with real GT5 now, this just gets better and better.

    Good luck to all GTP’ers!

  19. November 16th, 2010 at 1:53 pm - #
    GoldUltima

    Man, I wish Canada was involved. Even if I’m not involved I’m gonna cheer on my buddy Santos.

  20. November 16th, 2010 at 1:37 pm - #
    nevelo

    “free digital content” .i’m happy to hear them talk about dlc…let’s hope for more cars and tracks soon.

    • November 16th, 2010 at 2:17 pm - #
      BWX

      TRACKS are what we need though.. Cars are fine but we need more tracks. I’ll pay for them whatever.. just give them to us.

    • November 16th, 2010 at 2:45 pm - #
      nevelo

      right,
      i wish for infineon,motegi,el capitan to be back and spa asap.later i’d really like hockenheim,siverstone,brands hatch,sebring…all those legendary race tracks are really needed in gt.

    • November 16th, 2010 at 2:57 pm - #
      Stune

      Ah id love a bit of brands hatch!

    • November 16th, 2010 at 9:07 pm - #
      Rotard12a

      A lot of people are bummed about not enough tracks, but look at the bright side: No more wasting precious hours of your life putting around lame filler tracks like the “Driving Park”!

      Seriously, the bland, surreal sterility of that fictional understeer-fest was so traumatizing that, in my mind, it is the TRUE “Green Hell”