Sony PlayStation Network game Gran Turismo HD Concept has been in the Japanese online service for quite some time now and fans have given it praise for providing an adequate taste of things to come when Gran Turismo 5 finally hits. It comes as a surprise that developer Polyphony Digital has recently decided to pull it out of PSN.

Beginning Sunday in Japan, the download from the PSN Store will be taken down to prepare for the impending release of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. What surprises many is why the game is being taken down when the fact remains that North American and European fans have yet to sample it.

So far, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) and Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) have both been mum regarding the topic. At this point, it is apparent that Gran Turismo HD Concept may disappear without Western audiences ever getting behind its wheel.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue hits Japan's stores and PSN before this year ends. No announcements or release dates have been made for North America and Europe as of late. We'll fill you in as updates come.

PlayStation 3 owners over in Japan are being told that they have until after September 30 to download Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo HD via their PlayStation Store, after which it will be removed.

The Gran Turismo site further states that online rankings for this free downloadable game will end on the same day, though its ranking system will still function.

We're reminding the readers that Gran Turismo 5 Prologue is scheduled for release come October 13. It will be made available both as a PlayStation Store download for 3,500 yen (US$ 39), and as a standard disk release via stores for 4,980 yen (US$ 43). GT5 Prologue will also follow-up with a free demo (once again, in Japan) this October 20, in line with the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

We'll let you know if we pick up word of a similar announcement for the North American community. You may want to download GTHD, just in case.

Comparing one video game to another of the same genre - possibly with both having hordes of fans - is a dangerous endeavor indeed (read: flame wars). So we'll take care on this one and fasten our seatbelts first for safety.

The guys at Game Trailers released a video comparing two big boys in the racing genre: Turn 10's Forza Motorsport 2 (upcoming title for the Xbox 360) and Gran Turismo HD (downloadable for the PlayStation 3). The video has both games playing side by side, making comparison so much easier. While many people would have very different opinions about the two titles, they both have their good points in terms of gameplay, photo-realism, and overall experience.

We'll let you watch the video and see for yourself. You know the drill. Ready, set, go!

Yes, given that our source is called the sonyprotectiongroup, this is most definitely something that attempts to promote the PlayStation 3's graphical ability. But that's not the point of this. This isn't about the console, this is about a game.

The point of this is that given the graphics shown in Gran Turismo HD, a lot of folks are actually glad that the people in charge are taking their time with Gran Turismo 5. A fellow named consolecrusader posted the Sony Protection Group forums a particularly moving image comparison. It was GTHD vs. real - life. Here's a preview.

Get the fight after the Jump!

Heads up, everybody. The folks over at Three Speech, the semi-official Sony blog, announced a new Gran Turismo video which will be downloadable over at the PlayStation Network come May 4.

The new Gran Turismo video will feature Nissan's Xanavi Nismo Z on the Eiger Mountain Track, so you can be sure that it'll be hot. Of course, we do wish they'd actually stock Polyphony Digital's video game with more cars now that everybody's probably finished it, but it's a minor gripe on a wonderful download.

The next time you turn on your PlayStation 3 (PS3) and go over to the PlayStation Network (PSN), you will be surprised to see a lot of free downloads just waiting to be grabbed. It seems that Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) is indeed taking care of its consumer base.

First stop is on Gran Turismo HD Concept 1.2 and this confirms our previous report on the Gran Turismo HD 2.0 that surfaced in Europe a few days ago. The updated version is basically the same as the first one but with a few extras.

Accordingly, 1.2 will now allow players to the Top 10 worldwide rankings for each car and mode. More interestingly, the video game now offers complete force feedback with the use of appropriate steering wheel peripherals.

For those of you who are aching because Xbox 360 fans were treated to a demo of Armored Core 4 (360 and PS3) the other day, stop fretting because you get your demo as well today. The demo features three single player missions and a look at the video game's deep customization mode.

There is also something for Grand Theft Auto IV (360 and PS3) fans as a new trailer for the video game can also be downloaded. It's called "Things Will Be Different," by the way. Take note that all the above mentioned content can be acquired for free so we see no reason why you won't be getting them.

And oh, if you're kind of a movie person, trailer videos for "Are We Done Yet?", "Perfect Stranger", and "Stardust" are also ready for your downloading pleasures.

Thanks elhuhn for the pic!

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UPDATE: Going over 1UP, we were informed that the cutesy PlayStation Network downloadable game, Super Rub a Dub, is already on the European PlayStation Network. The game is currently still unavailable in the North American PlayStation Network. We'll keep you informed as more updates come our way.

The downloadable title Gran Turismo HD has just been made available for Europe yesterday, and it's already surpassing its North American counterpart. What are we saying? What counterpart? Here's the story and you better listen up good because this could be an important development.

Apparently, a new version of the video game has just appeared in the European PlayStation Store, dubbed as GT HD Concept 2.0, and it effectively replaced the previous one. So what do we get with the new version? An improved interface? Improved graphics? Well, it's beyond that and even beyond your wildest hopes.

Friends, force feedback is back! There is hope! If you look carefully at the image above, the Steering Settings has an option called "Feedback Strength", and we're hoping that we're not mistaken, but this is the much-missed rumble feature. To further support that theory, the description of the feature reads, "This setting adjusts the strength of the feedback."

But quite curiously, take note that the only highlighted "wheel" is the one on the farthest left, implying that this only applies to the wheel model. What we have here in QJ is the version before this so we can't confirm this last bit.

One thing's for sure though: After we've all downloaded GT HD Concept 2.0, we will all be shouting, "Let's get read to rumble." Or will we..?

 

Sony pops a whole can of surprises over at the Nissan Motor Sports Exhibition 2007 when they polished off a special version of Gran Turismo HD Concept, sporting Nissan's very own 2003 GT-R concept: the Xanavi Nizmo Z. Sony might have planned on switching to this "motorsports" habit for a couple of years to come.

The Nizmo Z was made available to attendees at the event held in Yokohama over the weekend, not exactly a catch provided at the PlayStation Store. Nissan and Sony even encouraged interested players to compete against professional racers in a tournament. Sony also paired the demo with a trailer sporting Nissan's latest GT-R concept car, the Skyline.

If you're looking to drive this and other GT concept beauties, grab Gran Turismo HD Concept on the PlayStation Network now.

Everything sure seems to be going according to plan for the European release of Sony's PS3. We've heard of quite a bunch of launch titles already for the PlayStation Network, and there's definitely more coming your way.

Confirming the seven downloadable titles to be up and about Europe's PlayStation Network, this sure is a golden sign that there really is no stopping the PS3 from landing in that part of the world now.

Here's the list of titles coming out. Keep your fingers crossed, cos your personal faves just might be on this first wave. If not, well then, there's still no reason to pout, 'cos we're definitely certain this won't be the last of them headed your way.

March
Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection - March 23 - £6.99 (US$ 9.20)
Blast Factor - March 23 - £3.49 (US$ 4.60)
Gran Turismo HD - March 23 (free)
Super Rub-A-Dub - March 30 - (price TBA)

April
flOw - April 6 (price TBA)
Go! Sudoku - April 13 (price TBA)
Go! Puzzle - April 20 (price TBA)

There's also word that you may very well expect Lemmings, Gripshift and Calling All Cars to be paying courtesy calls to the Euro PSN in the near future.

Mark the date March 23 red on your calendars, boys and girls! Especially so if you're in Europe. That's because that is the date set by the SCEE for Gran Turismo HD Concept's availability on the PlayStation Network, coincide with the much-awaited European launch of the PS3.

Exclusive on the PlayStation Network, GTHD Concept may be yours by following these four simple procedures:

1. Connect your PS3 to Broadband
2. Follow the in pack instructions to sigh up your PS3 on PlayStation Network
3. Go to the PS Store
4. Select Gran Turismo HD Concept and download for free

Now, you might want to know to that there will actually be a sneak peek of the Nissan cars in the game right on the Nissan stand at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. This event will happen on March 6th. But we're telling you right now that your best bet will be to hook up to the PlayStation Network and get that download ASAP.

Keep it posted here for more updates, then.