World motorsport governing body the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and video game developer Polyphony Digital Inc. have announced the outline of a long-term partnership, which will help bring online competitors closer to real racing.
Better known as the creators of the best-selling Gran Turismo series, which is exclusive to Sony’s Playstation console, Polyphony Digital has secured FIA certification for four of the circuits featured on the latest installment, Gran Turismo 6. An inspection by FIA officials at the developer’s studio in Tokyo confirmed that the tracks were recreated to painstaking detail while being compared to FIA standards.
The announcement doesn’t name the circuits, but it’s safe to assume that the four F1 circuits currently available on GT6 have made the grade – Monza, Silverstone, Spa Francorchamps and Suzuka. Apparently, other circuits will also be inspected to secure further certification.
It was not until we completed the tests between our track data and the game’s track data that we fully appreciated the level of work and attention to detail that goes into the development of Gran Turismo 6. It was not just the tracks that have been precisely mapped out, but also the surrounding landscapes such as the run-off areas, grandstands and buildings,” says Jacques Berger, head of safety at the FIA.
A further fruit of this new collaboration will be the launch of an official FIA online championship in 2015, which will offer the thousands of online Gran Turismo racers the chance to experience real motorsport – though details about the intricacies of such a championship have yet to be outlined.
“This innovative new partnership will ensure that millions of Gran Turismo and motorsport fans can race on even more detailed tracks at home. The Gran Turismo series has played an important role in helping to attract a new fan base to motor sport. With the input of FIA in the development of the upcoming FIA Online Championship, Gran Turismo 6 will now offer an experience even closer to the real world of motor sport. We are also excited to be working closely with Polyphony Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment in the future to find new ways to continue to make motor sport more accessible to millions of fans that share a passion for racing,” says FIA president Jean Todt.
“As we celebrate the 15th anniversary of Gran Turismo, this has to be the biggest accolade the game has received in its history. Our partnership with the FIA is a further step forward in our continued quest to bring the worlds of virtual and reality racing into a full circle,” says Kazunori Yamauchi, president of Polyphony Digital and creator of the Gran Turismo franchise.
