While some of you may no doubt be attached to the recently released 2013 GT Academy demo powered by Gran Turismo 6, it’s worth noting that GT5 is still running strong with weekly updates to keep you interested, and this week is no different.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjqmvGpoFcc

On the eve of the highly anticipated Gran Turismo 6 demo and the start of GT Academy 2013, 2012 champion Steven Doherty offers some advice and behind-the-scenes insight into what it’s like to win the competition in an exclusive interview with GTPlanet.

Image courtesy of Nissan.

GT Academy expanded to the Middle East late last year, with a special round of the competition that started last December.

Thumbnail images courtesy of Nissan and Jordan Tresson.

After a short hiatus the Rewind has returned in all its splendor and things have calmed down over the last two weeks or so, only to pick right back up with the events concerning the Xbox One and Microsoft’s steadfast DRM policies, all of which are no longer going to be implemented. What does this mean you ask; the same kind of freedom you currently have with the Xbox 360 are the same freedoms you’ll be able to enjoy with the upcoming One. This means no used games policies, no trading policies, no always online connection. All of it, gone.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qowsKKGjHYY

The latest Seasonal Events take are now available in Gran Turismo 5, and the premise of these events take on a more methodical approach than previous events. There are no tuning restrictions across any of this week’s events but tires are restricted accordingly.

Many Kazunori Yamauchi interviews emerged from E3 2013 earlier this month, most of which covered or re-iterated points and announcements made during the Gran Turismo 6 reveal at Silverstone back in May.

Details on GT Academy 2013 have finally been released.

Sony has announced the new pre-order incentives for Gran Turismo 6 in the United States (see Europe’s similar offerings detailed here), along with the first details on the special “Gran Turismo 6 15th Anniversary Edition”.

Le Mans 2013 got off to a tragic start, as Aston Martin Racing driver Allan Simonsen was killed in an accident on the Tetre Rouge corner shortly after the start of the race. The thoughts and prayers of the GTPlanet community are with his family as we all mourn the loss of a very talented racing driver.

2013 marks a unique milestone in GT Academy. It’s the third successive year that gamers have taken to the track at the Le Mans 24 Hours, but this time they’re working together.

In addition to GTPlanet’s exclusive interview with Kazunori Yamauchi, where we discussed Gran Turismo 6 engine sounds and artificial intelligence, I also had the opportunity to attend a round-table discussion with him and a group of other journalists.

Nissan and GT Academy are making a big splash at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, with both Lucas Ordonez and Jann Mardenborough driving together in Greaves Motorsport’s LMP2 car. (We’ll have a post up tomorrow with links to all of the live coverage feeds you need to follow the race this weekend – stay tuned.)

The latest Seasonal Events are now available in Gran Turismo 5, featuring high power American sports cars. Five expert level challenges touring such locations as Daytona Road Course and Grand Valley Speedway await, and the rewards are just as high as they’ve come to be in these challenges.

A new “Complete Pack” of Gran Turismo 5 DLC content has been released in the European PlayStation Store.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QOdW1OuZ1U0

An interview with U.S. Gran Turismo producer Taku Imasaki recorded after last month’s GT6 reveal was just recently published by GamerHub.tv, and it contained a few interesting tidbits of information.