More information is slowly filtering out about GT5’s delay, and it fits in neatly with everything else we’ve learned about the game’s production in the past 24 hours. Here’s what was recently posted by Maximus – a respected moderator at the Blu-Ray.com forums with reported connections to Sony:

A GameReactor associate in Tokyo, Gregor Wildermann, has reportedly made contact with Polyphony Digital and Kazunori Yamauchi for further clarification on Gran Turismo 5’s production status:

As reaction to Gran Turismo 5’s delay spreads around the web, one very important question remains unanswered: why? A detailed explanation will most likely never be given, but that won’t stop us from speculating. First up, Taku Imasaki (North American GT5 producer) offers a vague look at what’s been happening on the “inside” via an interview with the New York Times:

Eurogamer has some interesting comments from financial and industry analysts on what the delay means for Sony and the PlayStation brand this fall during the critical Christmas sales season.

Fans are still feeling the sting from Gran Turismo 5’s postponed November release date, but hopefully we won’t have to wait too much longer to find out the game’s new date according to this tweet by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe:

Via the official PlayStation US Blog:

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A Russian gaming site raised eyebrows yesterday when it claimed to have a copy of a message from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe sent to Russian retailers. Via Google Translator:

Gran Turismo 5 will be officially unveiled at an exclusive European launch party in Madrid, Spain, on October 26th and – if you’re creative enough – you can be part of it! Sony is hosting a contest on Facebook (open to residents of UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal), inviting you to re-create the game’s Photo Travel mode in real life, with your own ride:

If you’ve been watching the evolution of GT5 at various game shows and events over the past few years, you probably noticed these circular “racing pods” used to show off the game. Made of steel and glass, they’re certainly impressive looking and are now being sold to the public.

For those of you still on the fence about what edition of Gran Turismo 5 you’re going to buy, you might find this sneak peek inside the “Apex” book included in the Collector’s Edition interesting. I can’t read the Japanese, but it looks like it will at least feature a useful overview of the game’s cars, tuning tips. Take a look for yourself below:

If you’re anywhere near Madrid this weekend, head on over to GameFest 2010 where you’ll find a Gran Turismo 5 demo in the game’s massive booth at the show. Although there doesn’t appear to be anything new revealed or announced, Sony’s holding a “Championship” each day, with a voucher for a free copy of the game presumably up for grabs. Details are scarce – check the full schedule of events here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVKD1WUCqpQ

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With less than 30 days until the release of Gran Turismo 5, Sony is slowly beginning to ramp up their official marketing push. Our next source of official information is expected to hit on Tuesday, October 5th, when the latest episode of Sony’s Qore video magazine hits the PlayStation Store. As confirmed by the latest edition of the PlayStation Official Magazine (thanks to Alex for the picture above), our favorite racing game takes center stage. Let’s hope for new information – I’ll be sure to let you know what happens either way.

YouTuber MixEPsilon managed to get his hands on a French copy of what appears to be the GT5 Kiosk Demo that’s been showing up in stores around the United States. He plugged in his Logitech G27 steering wheel (which appears to be functional with the exception of the clutch pedal) and has been posting high-quality videos like a mad man ever since. Check out 17 of his latest clips below. For more detailed impressions of this demo, don’t miss this in-depth gameplay evaluation by long-time GTPlanet user, JohnBM01.

Check out this 25% off coupon on all Logitech gaming products, including their steering wheels. This drops the price of the G27 wheel from $299.99 to $224.99 ($23.50 less than Amazon), and drops the Driving Force GT from $149.99 to $112.49 ($17.50 less than Amazon) with free shipping. Just apply the coupon code LOGIGAME-910 to your order from the official Logitech online store and you’re good to go.

October is starting off with a bang for fans around the world. Here’s a quick overview of where to get your hands on Gran Turismo 5 this month: