GT creator talks tech, teases on release date

Legendary Gran Turismo development head Kazunori Yamauchi has issued a statement following last night's viewing of his Gran Turismo HD demo in Los Angeles, outlining the visual specifications of the software and hinting that a full Gran Turismo game for PS3 may arrive soon after launch.

The demo was shown at Sony's pre-E3 press conference, and included tracks from the Grand Canyon and Tokyo. Visual comparisons were shown between Gran Turismo 4 running on PlayStation 2 and Gran Turismo HD to dramatic effect.

"At this yearâs E3 2006, I am excited to provide you a glimpse of our vision for Gran Turismo by showcasing the technological capabilities of PlayStation 3 with a special playable demo titled 'Gran Turismo HD,'" said Yamauchi in a statement, before emphasising that "this product does not represent an official product and is merely a prototype.

"With the power of PlayStation 3, 'Gran Turismo HD' has been prepared in full HD resolution (i.e. 1920 x 1080p) and is displayed at a refresh rate of 60 frames per second. As you may know, this is the highest possible performance available on the latest high definition television and is three times higher in quality than the average high definition quality broadcast where HD-CAM capabilities are at 1450 x 1080i.

"Comparatively, the visual quality in 'Gran Turismo HD' is 12 times higher than Gran Turismo 4 on PlayStation 2, allowing for a world of true high definition, not possible in any other visual format today."

He finished with a teaser. Yesterday's demo was built specifically for this year's show, and no details were given on the next full Gran Turismo game.

"The wait for the next generation of Gran Turismo, post launch of PS3, may not be as long as you think," he said.