Of course Polyphony has been programming AI for the Gran Turismo series for almost 20 years and in recent iterations of the game you’ve been able to train and micromanage your own versions of the AI in a game mode called “B-Spec” – so players have taken to calling the driver “B-Spec Bob”. With two decades of experience creating AI that can deal with high-speed racing, Polyphony should be confident.

Nearly a month ago we shared content details regarding the special ‘Game of the Year’ Edition of Project CARS, that had been scheduled to appear around this spring. This time we can contribute a bit more as SMS has announced a launch date and a possible price for this interesting item!

The next title update for Assetto Corsa has been a hot topic lately, and over the course of the week Kunos have delved into the finer details of what’s to be included in the anticipated update.

Hold on to your butts. Hot on the tail of an earlier report on the rumoured “PlayStation 4.5” (or the more succinct “PS4K”), another story has emerged, potentially shedding light on new details of the machine that could break the traditional console cycle.

https://youtu.be/bQwmN48b3fo

Gran Turismo first showed up in racers’ PlayStations way back in 1997. Over the almost 19 years since, there have been tracks that have fallen by the wayside, but few of Polyphony’s original creations have achieved the level of prominence that Complex String enjoys. 15 years young, its one and only appearance was in Gran Turismo 3, as far and away the longest track in the game at that point (and a precursor for the even longer Nordschleife in GT4).

Last we talked, “Black Cat County” was under the microscope, the free-to-all picturesque location inspired by the American South. The location, spurred on by the feedback given by an automotive manufacturer with close ties to Kunos, allows players to experience the joys of driving in a natural, more relaxed fashion. An entirely new outlook of the game in comparison to the more focused-based track action the game primarily focuses on, no doubt.

You’ve heard the whispers by now, whispers of a more powerful and better equipped PlayStation 4 machine. Intended to handle higher-end gaming experiences and to serve as a better launchpad for Sony’s VR peripheral – the rumored “PlayStation 4.5” is just that machine, and it just might be closer than we all think.

Ford versus Chevy. Ferrari versus McLaren. Sony versus Microsoft. Some grudge matches seem almost as old as time itself, with console gamers being all too familiar with the third matchup. Exclusive titles on each console are only one aspect of the tough choice gamers face when picking a system: the number of friends on PSN or Xbox Live matters too, since players are restricted to those ecosystems. That might not be the case for much longer, however.

You’d be excused for calling the beginning of 2016 a rough start for most of the previous GT Academy grads. While veterans like Ordonez, Mardenborough, and Heitkotter all had their positions announced by Nissan in February – joined by recent grads like Matt Simmons – an alarming number of winners were notable for their absence. Gaetan Paletou and Wolfgang Reip were just two of the drivers that found themselves without a seat in the new year.

Call time-out on the chocolate egg hunt (or the hiding of them): it’s Track of the Week voting time! Last week’s winner was Maple Valley Raceway of Forza fame, and while you won’t find a track from that franchise this week, you’ll certainly find a bounty of variety amongst the options.

Workaholic employees at Slightly Mad Studios have launched another patch for Project CARS. This time, the mending procedure focuses on content recently released within the US Race Car Pack, as well as pit stop trouble. All fixes are listed below:

With winter in its final throes – especially here in Toronto, complete with freezing rain as I type this – things are heating up all along the automotive landscape, both in the real world and digitally. While Assetto Corsa’s console release was delayed, the folks at Kunos Simulazioni continue to work tirelessly on their title in preparation for the next big update (v1.5), with the first of three blog updates dedicated to the latest version going live earlier today. Like most big projects, the real work starts at home.

Thrustmaster continues their vie for peripheral domination with their newest add-on, benefiting those with the company’s TH8A and TH8 RS shifter assemblies – the TH8 Sequential Knob.

Revealed yesterday the Nissan GT-R 2017 is an absolute beauty. Slightly tweaking the iconic design of previous models, the new bodykit and vastly improved interior has car fanatics drooling. Those wondering about the vehicle’s digital debut need worry no more – EA’s Need for Speed has the honors of putting the latest GT-R in player hands around the world.

New seasonal events are now available in Gran Turismo 6. This week’s events are the usual fare, a combination of super lap and drift trial challenges featuring 4WD non-race and tuned cars, and race cars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjkfOY5vNXM

505 Games and Kunos Simulazioni have laid out the details for the second bonus pack DLC content coming to Assetto Corsa late next week, available at no additional cost.

We’ve crossed over into another franchise for this week’s Track of the Week. Welcome to Maple Valley Raceway, coming to us courtesy of GTP user GTvsForza!

Completely unexpected and from out of nowhere, Sony has announced the closure of Evolution Studios – the first-party development studio behind the WRC, Motorstorm and Driveclub series of racing games that was acquired by Sony Europe in 2008.