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With so many of you making plans to attend the PlayStation House tour after we noticed that Gran Turismo 5 would be making an appearance, I felt this latest turn of events has warranted its own blog post. Unfortunately, in a statement to VG247, SCEE has announced that GT5’s listing on the site was a “mistake”. Sure enough, Sony has just updated the PlayStation House website, removing the racing title from the description (the old version lives on in Google’s cache, for now).

Anyone interested in cooking up a conspiracy theory should keep in mind that several of our readers, after talking with Sony employees running the “House” confirmed that GT5 would be arriving at the display “soon”. Was it an honest mistake, then, or was the game pulled after its appearance started getting publicity? It would be interesting to hear what those workers have to say about all of this, so be sure and ask them if you still decide to go (just be nice about it – remember, it’s not their fault).

Alas, it might not be all bad news: as pointed out by several readers in the comments to my previous post, Gran Turismo 5 is on schedule to be shown at DigiExpo in Helsinki, Finland on October 30 – but can we really believe you this time, Sony?

Gran Turismo 5 is about to make its public debut in UK shopping malls as it joins Sony’s ongoing “PlayStation House Tour“. As you can see in the description, the “touring games extravaganza” will give you “the chance to test out all the best titles and newest releases [...] including [...] GT5″. Sure enough, when GTPlanet forum user Kyaw checked out the “House” in the Birmingham Bullring, the staff on-hand confirmed a demo of the racing title will be there “soon”. Before you get too excited, keep in mind this version of the game will almost certainly be similar (if not identical) to what was playable in France last month. (Though the latest demo running at the Tokyo Motor Show including the Toyota FT-86 would certainly make for a pleasant surprise.)

Regardless, with so many GT fans in the UK, this will be a great opportunity for many of you to see what the gaming press has been enjoying for some time now. The “House Tour” will be in Birmingham until November 1st, before moving to Manchester and beyond.

*UPDATE*: Sony has now removed the game from the list of playable titles at this event – see here for more information.

All eyes of the gaming world are on Cologne, Germany, as Sony holds a massive three-hour long press conference today.  The star of the show is widely rumored to be a new “PS3 Slim”, designed to replace the PlayStation 3 at a lower price point to drive sales.  However, three hours is a terribly long time to talk about just one new device, and we’ve heard that Gran Turismo 5 news will also be coming out of the show.  Nothing is guaranteed, however, and it would be wise to not expect too much to be revealed about GT5 before GT PSP hits store shelves on October 1st.  With that said, it would certainly be a great opportunity for Sony to reveal another trailer for the game while committing to solid a release date.

Sony’s conference begins today, August 18, 2009 at 6:00 PM in Cologne, Germany, 5:00 PM in London, and 12:00 PM in New York (click here to find out what time this will be in your area).  The GTPlanet News Blog will be updated immediately if/when Gran Turismo information is announced. Keep an eye on the clock, and your finger on that GTPlanet bookmark (we’ll be posting live updates on Twitter and Facebook, too)!

Looking for a new job?  If you’ve got a background in marketing and a passion for Gran Turismo, you might want to consider applying for this position with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe:

Gran Turismo Brand Manager Required

Gran Turismo is not just a game, it is one of the biggest brands in interactive entertainment. To support GT’s continuing growth, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe is looking for a proven videogames marketeer with a passion for cars and motorsport.

Based in Central London, this key strategic role includes responsibility for:

• Shaping the range of GT products and services across the EMEA region

• Developing marketing strategies and providing campaign materials for all SCEE territory offices
• Building and maintaining relationships with licensors across Europe

Thanks goes to GTPlanet user Obli for digging this one up.  Aside from the fact it could be a great opportunity for many of our readers, it also foreshadows the impending marketing push for the international release of Gran Turismo 5.  Best of luck to all the applicants – let us know if you get the job!