Just days after the official announcement that GT Academy is returning to Australia this year, more news of the program’s international expansion has landed. According to the latest post on Polyphony Digital’s PitStop blog, GT Academy will be coming to Japan – for the first time – later this year.
Of course, this isn’t a total surprise – a leaked document from the FIA’s website suggested the competition would be coming to Polyphony’s home turf back in October, but this is the first mention we’ve heard from an official source connected to the game. The other countries set for inclusion in 2015 are Indonesia and Malaysia, with Brazil set for launch in 2016.
Stay tuned for more announcements; as always, visit our GT Academy forum to discuss and prepare for the competition with other players.
See more articles on GT Academy 2015 and Japan.
As to why it didn’t get to Japan until now, perhaps it’s for marketing reasons? Nissan might have been more interested in promoting their brand in Europe and the US so that’s where they’d spend the money. After all, it’s not just a matter of finding great racing drivers, it’s also a matter of exposing a brand.
It’s definitely for marketing reasons. Nissan will only expand the program to territories where they calculate they will be able to receive a return on their investment.
So, my question is, will they use the same judges and teach them Japanese, or will they have new judges?
Not EVERYONE in Japan can speak English! ;)
Now this I got to see, I think this is going to be one of the most competitive GT Academys to date. Not saying the rest of the world is not talented, because there have been some great competition around the world in GT Academy but this is Japan we talking about here, the motherland of Gran Turismo, so you know whoever wins is the King of Japan in GT, and ultimate bragging rights. There is also some really good and fast drivers in Japan, virtual in GT, and behind the wheel.
Oh no, we know what you mean. Japan is breeding ground for competitive racing or even all things competition. I hope the events aren’t so gimmicks for the most part anymore.It degrades the competition and the GT name.
* ON full display
Doi!
Gran Turismo’s Country of origin:Japan
Japan: No GT Academy until now
= Irony at it’s best
Nissan’s country of origin: Japan
Japan: Makes up of a large chunk of GT’s car list / people are surprised and are irate about it
= Idiocracy at full display :D
I’m very confused by all of this, I new GT was from Japan, but wow. This could make all of us elsewhere look bad though. This will set high expectations for Japan, thus making all of the expectations around the world even higher since they will most likely be very fast on the time trials! I have sincere feelings for Japan though, with Polyphony Digital having to move their entire company due to foul weather and destruction of property due to that foul weather, they have come a long way since moving the company! I hope they do well for the first time inside the GT Academy!
Still not irony. But yeah, how did this happen?
Saying ‘it’s about time’ is an understatement.
+1 to that.
+2
+3