Spa-Francorchamps is Not in GT Sport (Yet) Because of Licensing Issues

[TetsuKobura]

I'm not opposed to paid DLC but it's my belief that it is best reserved for cars and not tracks. Making tracks DLC can easily split a racing community. Imagine a weekly race with a track only available to those willing to pay for it. I don't begrudge anyone who is opposed to paid DLC but if does happen it should never be for a track.

To be fair the paid DLC argument goes both ways with tracks and cars. If there was a scenario with a certain DLC car, that would cause issues as well.

 

[GTPorsche]

are some of you not comprehending what the article says or is it just me. This is not a licensing issue, it`s a money issue and always has been. Yes i`m sure enough of us would be willing to fork the 2, 5, 10 bucks for the track, but I`m fully with PD on this cause they don`t want to set a precedent wherein all the other world tracks are like..damn look how much more they`re willing to pay for Spa, we`d be suckers to not cash in on this, and they absolutely will which in turn will raise the price for all of us sim racers not just GT fans. Can you imagine how much Nurburg ring would command...the ring is absolutely king of all tracks but thank god PD seem to have good relations with them

Licensing involves money, so yes, this is a licensing issue.

 

[Lukanyon]

Five steps needed to correct the No Spa issue...

1-Go to your storage closet and open door.

2-Take down your old PS3 and dust it off.

3-Go to local used game shop or on line with eBay and get copy of GT6.

4-Plug in PS3, put GT6 disk inside, and start.

5-Go to Spa Circuit and enjoy day, night , rain, and shine racing.

I can make it easier:

1. Buy either pCARS 2 or Assetto Corsa.

 

[Skygrasper550]

IF PD already has the track fully modeled and ready to push out with just a button press, at this point I'd rather Sony just shell out the money so that everyone could stop 🤬 complaining and 🤬 about it. Honestly, EVERY DAMN UPDATE THREAD I see there's always "Spa here Spa there Spa pleaseeeee Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa" it's just annoying at this point.

Or, if Sony isn't willing to shell out that amount, PD should use their connections with the FIA to leverage some of that or have them talk with the license holders to turn down the price a bit.

 

[Lukanyon]

But seriously, I prefer when they bring either their own original tracks, like Sainte-Croix, or real tracks that are not in other current games, like Autopolis.
I couldn't care less about Spa, as I can already drive it in other games. But where else can I drive Deep Forest?

 

[Pururut]

But where else can I drive Deep Forest?

On older Gran turismo games. For now.

 

[MMX]

Good, now bring on some classic, or new originals. They're usually more fun than real tracks anyway.

 

[ARTAsean]

On another note, how come Spa is in all the other games? Are those smaller devs really richer than Sony/PD? Or is itreally that Spa has bumped up the price because they saw Sony coming?

Yes this is exactly what happened. Sony knows very well what other studios are paying and what they’ve paid in the past. The owners tried to pull a fast one on Sony and Sony called their bluff. Now, the track & its licensers look bad — real bad. They’ll either cave in to the bad publicity, or they’ll realize how poor of a decision it is to leave money on the table, and take Sony’s offer. Mark my words.

 

[Lukanyon]

On older Gran turismo games. For now.

Yeah, but they're working on bringing it back. For me that's more exciting than Spa.

 

[Stephan]

But seriously, I prefer when they bring either their own original tracks, like Sainte-Croix, or real tracks that are not in other current games, like Autopolis.

Now this is what I like. I'd rather have PD bring in new original tracks or bring in real tracks that aren't in the series yet.

Though I still would like to see SSR11 making a return.

 

[Pururut]

Yeah, but they're working on bringing it back. For me that's more exciting than Spa.

Me too. I cant wait to see a fully reworked deep forest.

 

[GT_Alex74]

are some of you not comprehending what the article says or is it just me. This is not a licensing issue, it`s a money issue and always has been. Yes i`m sure enough of us would be willing to fork the 2, 5, 10 bucks for the track, but I`m fully with PD on this cause they don`t want to set a precedent wherein all the other world tracks are like..damn look how much more they`re willing to pay for Spa, we`d be suckers to not cash in on this, and they absolutely will which in turn will raise the price for all of us sim racers not just GT fans. Can you imagine how much Nurburg ring would command...the ring is absolutely king of all tracks but thank god PD seem to have good relations with them

To be honest, the Nurburgring (at least the Nordschleife part) hasn't been in the best financial situation these last years. I don't think negociating that hard over licensing fees would be profitable for them if that meant a studio stopped including the track in their games.

 

[Vspectra]

IF PD already has the track fully modeled and ready to push out with just a button press, at this point I'd rather Sony just shell out the money so that everyone could stop 🤬 complaining and 🤬 about it. Honestly, EVERY DAMN UPDATE THREAD I see there's always "Spa here Spa there Spa pleaseeeee Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa" it's just annoying at this point.

Except if PD gives in and buy the license at a premium price, then other track holders could increase their license fee according to the source, and we all end up with more important tracks missing in future games because everything just got much more expensive for them. So not only will you end up with where's Spa, now you're possibly dealing with where's Nurburgring, can we get Le Mans, where's Bathurst etc all over this board.

 

[Pururut]

Except if PD gives in and buy the license at a premium price, then other track holders could increase their license fee according to the source, and we all end up with more important tracks missing in future games because everything just got much more expensive for them. So not only will you end up with where's Spa, now you're possibly dealing with where's Nurburgring, can we get Le Mans, where's Bathurst etc all over this board.

Exactly. Pd is doing right thing to not buy it.

 

[05XR8]

Title reads "(yet)". Who is at a loss if the track ins't included in GTS? Does it make a difference whether it's in or not?

A game like F1 2019, is probably essential that track is in. Maybe a proper GT3 game like AC. Any other game, probably not as much.

 

[Kirayama08]

I have to go with PD this time, although that I really wanted Spa to be included in the GT Sport track list. But with the license fee issue, thus it can trigger other tracks to raise the fee also. This will also make future games more expensive to make and pushed the developers to sell games at higher price with lots of unnecessarily expensive paid DLC.

 

[FoxMulder]

Except if PD gives in and buy the license at a premium price, then other track holders could increase their license fee according to the source, and we all end up with more important tracks missing in future games because everything just got much more expensive for them. So not only will you end up with where's Spa, now you're possibly dealing with where's Nurburgring, can we get Le Mans, where's Bathurst etc all over this board.

Then how do other games manage. Other games like PCars and Forza have all these real world tracks. They don't sell as well as GT too.

Fantasy and japanese tracks are nice, but I just think a game so closely affiliated with the FIA needs more of the real world FIA tracks.

 

[eltorrente]

I wonder how much Trial Mountain costs them to license.. it must be crazy expensive.

 

[dylpro]

The most shocking part of this article for me was that it’s been over a year since the Mk4 Supra update.

 

[Skygrasper550]

are some of you not comprehending what the article says or is it just me. This is not a licensing issue, it`s a money issue and always has been. Yes i`m sure enough of us would be willing to fork the 2, 5, 10 bucks for the track, but I`m fully with PD on this cause they don`t want to set a precedent wherein all the other world tracks are like..damn look how much more they`re willing to pay for Spa, we`d be suckers to not cash in on this, and they absolutely will which in turn will raise the price for all of us sim racers not just GT fans. Can you imagine how much Nurburg ring would command...the ring is absolutely king of all tracks but thank god PD seem to have good relations with them

Well, licensing DOES involve money, soooo...

 

[LegendofGT]

There's no licensing issues with COTA or Laguna Seca, right?



.....right???

 

[Vspectra]

Then how do other games manage. Other games like PCars and Forza have all these real world tracks. They don't sell as well as GT too.

Fantasy and japanese tracks are nice, but I just think a game so closely affiliated with the FIA needs more of the real world FIA tracks.

Jordan explained it in the first page.

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/thre...use-of-licensing-issues.386391/#post-12685337

 

[SestoScudo]

If this is true we are better off without spa.

Bring in Imola, Hockenheim, Istanbul Park and other worthy tracks also bring in the classic iconic GT tracks.

If spa wants to play hardball there is other alternatives.

 

[GaLbaNoryes]

Then how do other games manage. Other games like PCars and Forza have all these real world tracks. They don't sell as well as GT too.

Fantasy and japanese tracks are nice, but I just think a game so closely affiliated with the FIA needs more of the real world FIA tracks.

The other games are smaller. It doesn't cost the same to put Spa on PC than it does on GT.

 

[Furinkazen]

So this proves three things:

1) In shocking news, circuit owners recognises a big company interest in their circuit and use common sense business techniques to try get more money for themselves.

2) Mass areas of the internet and element's of forums such as this place will show no understanding of how business works

3) update comment areas on here and likewise the site will be full of crying plebs each time with nothing better to do.

IF PD already has the track fully modeled and ready to push out with just a button press, at this point I'd rather Sony just shell out the money so that everyone could stop 🤬 complaining and 🤬 about it. Honestly, EVERY DAMN UPDATE THREAD I see there's always "Spa here Spa there Spa pleaseeeee Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa Spa" it's just annoying at this point.

Or, if Sony isn't willing to shell out that amount, PD should use their connections with the FIA to leverage some of that or have them talk with the license holders to turn down the price a bit.

Sony and the FIA are irrelevant. They're not the gaming developers, and in no way tied to track promotors. Business isn't "let's have a chat". Business is about solely just profit margins at the end of the day.

PD aren't going to jeopardise things or hamper themselves over one circuit. Good on them for sticking to their guns.

 

[NevilleNobody]

As long as PD keep adding tracks (and actually using them in Sport Mode) I'm good.

There are loads of real world tracks that won't cost as much as Spa and are just as fun to race on.

THIS!!

Road America
Road Atlanta
Donington
Osterrrblachaaan
Phillip island
oulton park
Mosport


Imagine just those 7 tracks, just imagine. The variety, the ability to use different cars, itd be awesome.

 

[Furinkazen]

THIS!!

Road America
Road Atlanta
Donington
Osterrrblachaaan
Phillip island
oulton park
Mosport


Imagine just those 7 tracks, just imagine. The variety, the ability to use different cars, itd be awesome.

I'm an Oulton Park local (ish), and I love the place but for UK tracks Donington and Knockhill deserve priority.

Also you are aware you can use different cars in game now right...

 

[Groundfish]

THIS!!

Road America
Road Atlanta
Donington
Osterrrblachaaan
Phillip island
oulton park
Mosport


Imagine just those 7 tracks, just imagine. The variety, the ability to use different cars, itd be awesome.

Yep. Spa schma. I agree with PD. DONT FORGET LAGUNA SECA LOL.

 

[azrilnazli]

Phillip Island
COTA
Charlotte new Roval
Daytona Rising Roval
Watkins Glen
Sepang F1
Road America
Imola

 

[Atwork]

Yeah this ^^^ - they wouldnt be charging a flat rate. If you're making a crappy mobile game you could possibly get a lower rate because your total exposure is small.

However if you're making a CSR2 by EA or a Forza by MS then your audience reach is huge and then the fee is larger.

Be that as it may, how bad could it be? I can imagine it'd be in the tens of thousands, not hundreds of thousands.... former isnt a big deal, latter???

Try millions. If I remember the last track that had high fees I remember it be way more than I thought it would. It cost enough for them to go through all the trouble of making it and holding it.