Earlier this week, Kazunori Yamauchi announced (via rare English-language tweet) Polyphony Digital’s new offices in Fukuoka, Japan, are already up and running. Though initial news reports were lacking many hard details, more information has emerged about the details behind the move, suggesting more substantial changes for the company than was originally inferred.
Notably, Kazunori himself is leaving Tokyo and moving to work in Polyphony’s new facilities, located in the Central Building of Fukuoka Software Research Park. This is, apparently, only the first step in a larger transition to Fukuoka, with plans to expand and hire new, local developers and engineers. Yamauchi also confirmed “there are plans of opening an even larger studio in a few years”, and hopes to one day open a game development school in the city. Meanwhile, the future of Polyphony’s Tokyo studios remain unclear.
The move comes at (or may be the cause of) a quiet time for Polyphony Digital, which is taking a lengthy hiatus from Gran Turismo 5 updates, with the most recent Seasonal Event now over 3 weeks old. Regardless, mention of the company’s growth is curious and encouraging as its future projects remain a closely guarded secret.
Thanks to SHIRAKAWA Akira for translation assistance!
See more articles on Fukuoka, Kazunori Yamauchi, and Polyphony Digital.
I kind of wish they’d set up a permanent shop in europe–but that’s just me. As for new DLC, I recently switched offices myself, and there wasn’t terribly high productivity a month on either side of it. Now’s probably their best time to move though, given the relative down time, and the recent safety concerns. Surely there are fewer deadlines than usual ATM.
i think in game endurance race saves is a reasonable ask. not safe to play for heavy duty amounts of time in one go!
TRUE TRUE.
i agree 100% i just think its not that easy to do it
ok another thing for u all u talk about in game saves
how many auto sim u know where u can save your game when u actually driving? i know none help me out :)
Le Mans 24 Hours, back on the old Sega Dreamcast for one. A few others arround that time or earlier on PC as well, but I don’t remember the names.
Was that as difficult to program for as any game on the PS3?
i remember that LM on DC too bad i never played enough with it to remember that save options anyway thx for the nfo
To all the DLC complainers: Do you know you can play GT5 in arcade mode with stock premium cars, all aids OFF, real damages ON, dash board view and hud turned OFF? That is MUCH better than keep grinding in Aspec. Credits are there only to buy some nice cars once you have them just drive, life is short. Aspec is a car parking simulator if you want some fun bring your premium (stock)cars in arcade mode and forget about racing tyres. It’s kinda addictive and an alternative of online pubblic lobbies, AI is decent/fast, give it a go.
What a bell-end, is that all you got? My spelling and grammar is bad, so bloody what, I dident get much schooling as I had to look after my sick mum then I was a kid, but if that’s all you got, then I’m glad, just proves I’m right. And thanks peeps, thought I was the only one on here that’s not a lick-ass
Jagger hit the nail on the head he is 100% right. He, just like everyone else bought an unfinished game, I don’t know about everyone else but I don’t feel like I got what I paid for. GT5= Biggest video game letdown of all time.
Geez, you really do have a big set of balls… nobody else would dare be so upfront about this subject as you….
NOT, cry baby comment #40,655, congratulations!
More likely it’s just jag posting “commints” to support himself. The repeated english fails are a BIG giveaway. Lmbo.
i agree with jagger, no matter how much u guys insult him or whatever. hes speaking the truth. ur just to scared to admit it!
The only thing scary about Jagger (and your) posts is the overiding illiteracy, combinded with the moronic statements, and the feeling that it would all fit right into the script for Deliverance 2……
There’s negativity everywhere, be it in Forza, Shift, Dirt, GT forums! Sometimes negativity is positive. We let the publishers know what we don’t like for free! :)
HEY! That is soooo correct. Ah you are so correct.
I’d love a cookie Russian donkey, what sort do you have?
Like I said most of whats recently been released should have been in the original game. SO i think some people should be thankful for that.
Where some of you get off thinking that GT5 has failed is beyond me. GT5 never lived up to YOUR expectations. Thats the problem. Alot of people were / are so disapointed in the presentation, the lack of tracks, the lack of premium cars.
The truth here for me is that I am only disapointed about the the lack of tracks. I would like to see more but hey there you go. Thats really what the course creator is for make your own tracks. Yeah some are good but the course creator really needs to be updated.
When it was annouinced that you would be able to create tracks for the upcoming GT5 the internet was awash from people who had grandious ideas for their track designs even when it was mentioned on and demo’d how the course creator would work.
The 1000 cars, they can be premium or standard I just see it as 1000+ cars not 800 or 200. I have more standards than premiums at the moment. I enjoy driving a Standard just as much as a premium around the top Gear track as well as racing them online.
I think alot of people that complained about the game were expecting way too much and just failed to listen to the people who knew it wasnt going to happen.
If i am called a fanboy because I am passionate about a game then so be it. Its better than one of these haters that know sod all and continuosly spiel their vile crap out to justify their immaturity.
NICE! I agree 1,000%. The way they’ll counter your post is by saying something bad about GT5 because it always has to be all about negativity! Never focus on the extremely awesome.
That’s because the last time there was any awesome worth focusing on was GT4.
Keep being a jackass then.
its only me who DONT WANT dlc? u all who is cry for dlc how many car u sit in from the 1000 like 50-100? what do u want than?
I want DLC! I know what you mean but it isn’t like DLC is a bad thing.
I’ve actually driven quite a few of them, minus a few select race cars. I mean I have over 550 different cars (not including duplicate cars) and out of those theres probably about 70 I havent driven. I’ve tuned in some form or another almost all that I’ve because I like to drift them or bring them up to unreasonably high speeds. The UCD on top of a lack of entertaining events, and means to make relatively significant amount of funds in reasonable amount time, are the only limiting things to driving the rest. If a DLC pack or add-on update helps to improve that, then yes I’m for it because it will settle the need for GT6 for at least another 5 to 6 years if not more. Making all of the cars available in some form or another is one of the things I’m truly greatful for. A faster means of getting them woul be greatly appreciated because I like to drive the many various vehicles. Problem is I don’t get to enjoy them because I’m always grinding. So yes. I support DLC.
(sorry for the double post, I’m on a PS3 / text limits) If Polyphony hiring more people helps to bring DLC without hindering GT6 development, then I’m definitely in support of at least some new and more rewarding A-Spec events. Cars and tracks are a hopeful as well.
I expect updates or the like will be down for quite some time. Maybe a few months. But I hope that if they can get more people working, that they can get both DLC for Gran Turismo 5 as well move forward with their work on Gran Turismo 6. I doubt it will come out on the Playstation 4 however. Sony has made it clear they aren’t looking into getting a new console to the market anytime soon. As well, Kaz and PD have a lot they can alter in Gran Turismo formula that can give it significantly more potency on the PS3. More tracks, more mods, and either lower car car resolutions or a better means of optimizing the system so that way it doesn’t fry people’s consoles. I mean he did say that on GT5 the cars are higher res than they should have been. Maybe they can also stabilize the resolution and make it more consistent across all of the cars, rather than (in both standard and premiums) having some cars that are noticeably more detailed than others.
However thats all the stuff they could do, most likely, to GT6 after they get their business in order. I mean honestly, I would be happy if they took a little time on DLC for GT5, so that they can have more time to work on GT6 and hopefully fix all the issues and missing features correctly withoutthe pressure of the masses craving GT6. (Yes I realize there will always be people who can’t wait for the next one — this is not including them). Just my thoughts.
They can take as long as they want, I’m just gonna keep doing the le sarthe race on la festa cavallino to build up cash for buying the last 108 cars I need to get the 1000 cars trophy. I may even get around to finishing the last 4 endurance races I’ve got on A-spec. So while everyones complaining about DLC I’ll still be racing whether there is new content or not.
You want a cookie?
I’d love a cookie Russian donkey, what have you got
Killer Tiller, if only some people stopped being morons, they’d understand that they’re playing Gran Turismo like they expect to be rewarded at every level. This is The Real Driving Simulator, not The Real Fun FPS.
Stop dreaming of what’s not possible with current hardware.
Theres a ot thats still possibl with thishardware, if they do it right.
GT5’s worst enemies are the fanboys, and it’s owner, which is a person that has proved that he is unable to direct projects with real life parameters, like current hardware specs, timeframes, and competition eating him. Really sad, I love GT, this is really sad…
ugh. really annoying. a bit pathetic.
Competition eating him? Jeez you’re a huge moron.
People live in a fantasy world where quality is more important than sale numbers, GT5 sold in preorders what Forza 3 took a year to sell, doesn’t matter who has the best game, PD is not afraid of Turn 10 because their game(Forza) is on a platform dominated by FPS wh0res.
Speaking of fanboys……..lol
Honestly, since GT5 was announced (how many years ago? lost the count), people are always talking about the “great future” of the series… Yet, no present at all. Don’t you guys feel disappointed for being forced to dream about what “will come” since GT5 was announced, with every update, future rumors, speculation from this site community, etc…? GT5 is rubbish (for PD standards, that is). I would stop dreaming and let PD know that their product was a lack of respect for the consumers, hoping to make them understand that they need to do something SUBSTANTIAL TO THE GAME before FORZA completes the humiliation process that has already begun. Everybody knows this, except the desperate fanboys (which are only hurting the game by not demanding quality), and the irrelevant “genius” called, Kazunori.
Does this mean DLC ????
So, anybody heard if PD had anything at Comic Con?
All I’m saying is, if Japan is in ruins, how come they came out with the helmets and suits update, but nothing else, I’m I wrong? Why have so many stupid used cars that you’ll never drive, no IN GAME SAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ve probably played this game way to much, but I’ve been waiting for donkeys years for it to come out, and yes it is super good, but it could be so much better, and about the war, I was just stating that this country was smashed to bits, but did we say, o before I can get on with my job that I’m payed for, I want to move house first? No we got to work and made the most stunning plane that ever was, the spitfire, all I ask is please just give us a flipping update, before everyone go’s off this once good game. And no I’m not a kid with an x-box, just a peed-off ps3 gamer.
For starters no one has said that Japan is in ruins fact. To be honest they have sufered two MAJOR disasters in the space of 1 hour and narrowly averted a third. Thats alot to contend with. They lost tens of thousands of fellow countrymen and women possibly realtives who knows. The Japanese are a proud people and will get on top of it as they have done in the past. As to your comment of the war thats nothing at all to do with this one bit. Since this Earthquake and Tsunami and the near meltdown at the nuclear power plant they have had ongoing rolling blackouts which has not only affected the Japanese populace around the affected area but all over Japan. It has also affected the business and economic side of Japan.
To top that the PSN was hacked and as the developers side of the PSN was taken down as well alot of work at PD has been delayed. Most of these updates you have been seeing are quite possibly what should have been in the game given a bit more time.
Everyone is in the same boat as you!! They have been waiting “donkeys years” (a tad over the top for 2 years I take GT5 Prologue as the last GT game we got not GT4).
For his reason Yamauchi san has decided to move PD 500 miles to South West Japan. Now you and every other person that pisses and whines about wanting DLC may want to have a little think on moving. I work for a book distribution company. Six years ago we moved about 1 mile down the road. It took us 3 weeks to move in excess of 2000 pallets of books (about 5.6 million in total) just a mile down the road.
They have computers, servers furniture, loads of car bits and model cars and loads of other items that they are not going to leave in Tokyo as well to move over 500 miles. Most of it could be there and they should be getting settled in as fast as they can which in my book 99% of the time means they wont releasing new content for a few weeks (like the last 3 weeks we have had) untilo they get settled in and upto speed. Now if that upsets a few impatiant people then really tough, you will just have to deal with it.
We all would like an update but I am prepared to wait when they are ready to update us as to whats next. like I said if you cant wait for that then perhaps it is time to move on.
Take a deep breath!
Perhaps PD are accumulating new features and improvements for a big update in the future. Perhaps they are saving them for GT6. It is frustrating, I know, but they don’t have to give us anything. Just because we get a new feature for suits and helmets, it doesn’t mean nothing else is being worked on. It’s not so easy to add new code to an existing code-base. It’s easy to break stuff. Could be that other features / changes are going through testing. There are a lot of possible reasons to your questions.
@Obli,
Not really sure. A large update that “could” include DLC ie tracks and/or cars could be in the works but all this is speculation. Its certainly something that I would do and wouldnt be surprised if we see a large update like this before the release of the platinuum version in October this year. But again its all speculation.
I think it was rather obvious to some that wouyld see Yamauchi move out to the nw studio as well. Some of his none english tweets (via google translate) did mention about him moving.
To all the people wanting GT6, it will be the same as GT5 with the same 800 standard cars and just a few more premium cars than what was in GT5. The moaners will moan like hell and the comments / forums on this site will be awash with childish posts.
As per DLC well we will have to wait and see. Theres still alot of life left in GT5 its only 8 months old.
GT5 prologue had two major updates, one bought extra cars in the updates so there still time.
I have no doubt that they will be back in a week or two’s time with some more updates and maybe DLC but as we know there are some people that do not have the patience of a goldfish let alone the attention span. GT6 will be here when its ready. GT5 is the current game and we should support that. If you cant do that then perhaps its time to move on. I personally still enjoy playing GT5, whether its online or through the the A-spec special events section.
Very well put Antony. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the other factors for the move was the reported radioactivity level in Tokyo.
With regards to DLC etc, yes, i’d like to see some too but am happy enough with the game as it stands. My money is still on one final major update, probably around about the time Forza 4 arrives. I know there are at least another five track creator scenes that could be unlocked, and hopefully a few cars too.
Eitherway, I spend most of my GT time in quality online Nordschleife lobbies. This alone will keep me occupied indefinitely…
And do you think this country came too a hult in the war, no we knuckled down and got on with it, you lot are probably kids that think your stupid commints will get them something, well here’s some news for you, it won’t.
^ How did you go from asking for GT5 updates to talking about war, licking butts, and posting comments?
Pardon me for asking; but is a ‘Commint’ a Russian version of a Polo? If so, i’m not sure I like the sound of a ‘chummy’ one….
Hult in the name of the dictionary! You are all under arrest for having independence of thought, you stupid comminters!
Chummy commint= candy made from chopped fish guts.
Mabe you lot should wake up and smell the coffee, and please stop licking there butts, do you think they care about your chummy commints? No do they fook, they need too pull there finger out there ass and get on with there job, and I think you got a cheak to call me a jack ass, lick lick and lick some more, grow up, twits.
Oh, the incredible irony…………
So they reworkes their developer history and taking a new step forward.
Maybe it´s time to do that for GT, too.
Maybe it’s that time of the month for Jagger?
Sorry but I don’t give a rats ass about the move, I payed for the game, give us update now for god sake, to those peeps that keep on about the tsunami in Japan needs to wake up, if it happened in this country, would Japan give a dam? No they wouldn’t, sort out this bloody game that you took 6 years to make, if there country is so bad, how come they brought out the stupid helmet and suits update, they don’t give one dam about us, they can do an update, it only takes one or two programers to do it, but no, they just want to move to there new building.
You’re the biggest douche ever.
You should change your name from Jagger to Jackass.
That’s right you paid for the game. The end. Everything else as far as updates and DLC is a bonus not an obligation due to the fact you already paid for what you got, idiot.
It’s people like you that make me ashamed to be a part of GTPlanet.
Maybe they are saving all the good stuff till forza 4 comes out.. I know that the current version of GT5 is going to be better than f4, I hope it will be, I pray it will be. There’s something about that f4 boss that I really don’t like: seems proud, vain, and as cocky as the king of spades, ready to strike arguments against other games and publishing companies and seems quite the opposite of our humble Yamauchi-san.
It’s impossible that GT6 will be at ps4. In every playstation console, there are always 2 games released but for now, it’s annoying me how people keep on asking for DLC AT THIS TIME knowing about the Tsunami in Japan.
500 employees after this!
I know this means that support for GT5 may be lacking for a few weeks (or maybe even months), but this can only be a good thing :)
If PD are going to expand their studio and hire more people, then chances are we can expect a much more polished GT6. I’m sure we’ll still be getting more seasonal events. Maybe we’ve seen the last of the big patches for a while, and although in-race saves is still missing, I think GT5 is already great. And with this move, GT6 will be bigger and better :)
They already downsize the premium cars for gt5.
Figure GT6 will be written for a PS4 platform, seriously doubt there will be a lot of resources allocated to the PS3 box since it is so limited. I remember reading somewhere that Kaz was quite hampered by the current graphics limitations, etc. while developing GT5.
Yes, don’t think Gt6 will be on PS3. I hope PD gets to work on content and release more tracks and Premium cars. Whatever premium cars they would develop from now on would probably be at even higher fidelity then GT5 premium (aimed at use in Gt6) But those cars could be saved out as lower-resolution version for use as DLC on GT5. At least I hope the above will happen
soooooooooooooo..does this mean we can get some DLC now..i’ve been playing shift 2 cuz GT5 got so boring
Why would you go a step down?
You should’ve switched to F1 2010, or rFactor if you have a PC.
I totally get where sinister is coming from and you BumbleBeest. I’d love to check out rFactor sitting behind a monitor after doing 10hrs+ at work (at a monitor) isn’t appealing. What other racers do you play on PS3 if you don’t own an xbox? Besides shift2 there isn’t much else. I need to check out F1 though. Was pleasantly surprised to read the handling model is quite realistic appearrantly
Play Dirt 3 on PS3.
I had Shift from the release date until the next 3 weeks. I played ot for straight 3 weeks and got bored of GT5 cause i know Shift 2 has better sounding of cars but still, it’s not a simulator compare to GT. I’ve traded it . lol
i get where ur comin from bumblebeest umm thinkin about gettin rfactor..@ BWX yea i been thinkin about picking up dirt 3
Honestly, I don’t think shift is all that bad. Could do without the idiot x-Games commentator guy but the game is fun. I agree on F1-10 and R-Factor though I have both and love them. All said though, I see a lot of people crying about sound in this larger thread. If you want the best of all things explore GTR2 it’s old at this point but my god, it’s a bloody monster of a SIM. Hardcore tuning and tweaking, shedloads of mods and nothing NOTHING has ever been able to top the sound details. Absolutely terrifying sounds in the GT1 cars all the way down to NGT. You can actually hear stuff rattling around in the car at high speed and over bumps. After a long race you’re come away mentally fried. It’s bordering pornographic for a true SIM lover, especially if your into FIA GT or Super GT.
More employees and expansion can only lead to good things for us, the customers of PD and it sounds like a good for the staff too.
*like a good thing
Honestly, this is just awesome. I can’t wait for great thing to come. Hopefully, Kaz can manage the team just as well because he has mentioned managing a larger team makes objectives take significantly more time to accomplish.
So with that being said, I hope the people being hired doesn’t get in the way.
They’ve been understaffed for years. If hiring more people causes things to take longer, the problem is bad management, not the added labor.
Well for the first GT, there were only 7-15 working on it at different times. He said if someone had an idea, they can see it working by the end of the day. Now, because there are a lot of people (150 people is a lot) it can take years before they see something come to light. But, I bet the new people being hired aren’t going to get in the way. They’re probably doing something that just requires being part of a separate team in PD that do work without much supervision by Kaz. He’s gotta overlook his team’s work, that’s why it takes so long.
I need to post a comment to show that I’m so cool and sharp minded but nothing comes :D
BOOOOOBS
This may be the new clothes designing centre that Kaz dreamed about. It will be a “mimesis” of Barbies and Drivers…
Hell yeah! More employees the better. ;)
Good news. I hope to hear more about this and future projects of Kaz and PD : )
This is awesome news! There were already an discussion about PD should get new employees in the forums. Good job PD!
Nice, PD keep it going.
So, every new person they hire will presumably be sound design, correct?
This sounds good for GT5, more updates maybe? DLC?
Wise move. Never can tell with these earthquakes…
“…and hopes to one day open a game development school in the city.” Having a company-funded games dev school is a fantastic idea. Sony could attract young gamers to do something they love and get fresh, new talent into their ranks.
I nearly ended up doing a year at Fukuoka University, if I had I’d probably have spent it camped out to meet Kaz anyway! Looks like a great city, here’s wishing them the best with their new studio and future projects.
means they can actually record engine sounds instead of using hoovers
good call
the only thing that sucks about this comment is the fact you think all the cars sound like hoovers….this is GT5 not forza or some other crap racing game
Yah, jeez people, get it straight. GT is supposed to sound like a Hover. It’s what seperates a true sim like GT5 from one of those crappy games where they mess up the sounds by making them sound like actual gasoline engines……
Well… SOME cars actualy sound 90% close to their real life counterparts. Like the R8 or the Lambos, and the RX’s for example.
I completely agree with rob and viejaloca. Not every car in the game sound like hoovers. Cars like the sl55 and the Lexus isf sounds close to real life also.
you are unbelievable. The whole reason for the hoover sound is because of the turbo and the fully customisable transmission.
Straight cut gear racing dog boxes create that wind as to helical cut. Dont buy the transmission if it bothers u that much farkk.
Too bad I don’t have turbos and tranny upgrades on most of my cars, and THEY STILL SOUND LIKE HOOVER VACS! O_o
Why does this post thank someone for translation assitance AND say that it was a rare English language tweet?
Because the tweet doesn’t tell practically anything else than that a new Polyphony studio has been opened. You would have seen that by actually reading it.
Hopefully PD keep their Tokyo studios. More studios, more employees wll mean more work done in less time. This is great news, GT5 will be updated more frequently and GT6 wont take as long to develop. We’ll see how this turns out.
They really just need to talk a bit more with us. I just feel the lack on contact… I’m ok with their situation and love their work.
Agreed with Nurburgthing. PD expanding should enable GT6 to be released in less time, and with even more content hopefully. Just enjoy GT5 for now, as there is still plenty of great cars to drive, events to conquer and online racing fun.
So, we want new DLC or Update :D
People like you aggravate me.
I agree 1600. what an absolute dinlow.
the expansion of PD can only be a good thing. especially for the future of GT.
Mindless pricks like you need to back the hell off.
WOOOAAHHH love that architecture <3 thats frakkin awesome!!!…and i agree with 1600 the game is fine the way it is, i even found a few surprises too like i never knew i could change the rims on the ford GT test car spec II O_O had no idea i could do that. and i agree wit nurburgthing [lol] this is a GREAT thing for the future of GT.
Oh guys, that was a joke :D
@R1600Turbo People like him don’t seem to take anything seriously so no need to do anything about him and do you see that classic car beside a wonderful piece of architect?
wow! a game dev school! i wish i was living in Japan sometimes….!
lets hope that these moves makes PD even better!
He said it was a joke…RELAX no need to get the knickers in a twist.
Watch what you guys say. Any comment you post about DLC and all these pricks with their junk up their ass will jump on you. What the hell is wrong with hoping for DLC’s? That would only help them out more.
GT6 > DLC
I know I prefer DLC, but please stop asking. We are all tired of useless begging.
Hopefully they will have GT6 ready for PS4 launch :)
GT6 will be on PS3
@R1600Turbo
I don’t think so, unless GT6 is coming next year ;-)
You keep thinking that, novcze.