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This page is about a feature that relies on online servers or services that are no longer available. We have collected as much information as possible about how the feature in question functioned when the online services were still operational; as such, this page is retained for historical purposes. |
- The defunct online service disclaimer and category refers to the in-game video-on-demand service iteration of Gran Turismo TV.
The initial version of Gran Turismo TV in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.
Gran Turismo TV is a former video-on-demand service available in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Gran Turismo 5 and the current name of Gran Turismo's YouTube channel, where game and game update trailers are posted, as well as race broadcasts for Gran Turismo World Series events.
Video-on-demand service[]
The original form of Gran Turismo TV, abbreviated GT-TV, began as a video-on-demand service on Gran Turismo 5 Prologue. Some videos are available free of charge, while others had to be purchased from the PlayStation Store (effective with 2.20 update released in August 2008). The inaugural Gran Turismo TV content in GT5P, available with the demo version of the game (available only in Japan), were:
- First Impression: Lancer Evolution X
- Tokyo Motor Show 2007 (auto show report)
- The GT-R Legend: Inside Story Part I
The three videos above are available free-of-charge on every GT5P disc with version 1.11 (December 2007) update, alongside the next two parts of The GT-R Legend: Inside Story, Gran Turismo TV Digest (a video summarizing what was available/upcoming on the service), and Gran Turismo 10th Anniversary Christmas Movie. Additionally, two free GT-TV videos, the first episode of series 6 of Top Gear and Beyond the Apex (not to be confused with the book of the same name), were added as part of the original Spec II update (2.00) and 2.10 update, respectively. The pay-per-view content update in 2.20 also featured another free video, '08 Nurburgring 24h Introduction, covering the preparation for Kazunori Yamauchi's run at that year's 24 Hours Nürburgring. Paid content can be viewed for 365 days from the time of purchase, after which the player had to repurchase the content, assuming the content was still available to purchase. Purchases are handled through PlayStation Store; however, video contents cannot be directly purchased from PlayStation Store, only from the game.
In addition to in-house content, content was also available from partners such as Super GT (videos pertaining to it were delisted in 2012 during the GT5 era of GT-TV service),[1] D1 Grand Prix, Best Motoring, Video Option, and Top Gear. Trailers for cars featured in the game, such as the Ferrari California '08, were also available. Plans for GT-TV for PSP was considered in an interview with IGN, but never materialized, although certain content (mostly in-house content) can be transferred to a PSP.
Paid videos were no longer purchasable on GT5P on December 29, 2010, setting up the stage for server shutdown nine months later (although free content remained accessible).[2]
GT-TV as a video-on-demand service remained the same throughout life of Gran Turismo 5, although most of content posted during the game's life were primarily car trailers, as well as coverage of Yamauchi's attempts at 24 Hours Nürburgring. The Spec II opening movie for GT5 was also an optional download from GT-TV. The last video posted on the GT-TV as a video-on-demand service was the extended trailer for the Acura NSX CONCEPT '13, coinciding with its display at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. In a phase-out, GT-TV programming introduction pages was removed from the Gran Turismo website as part of the May 2013 redesign,[3] followed by the shutdown of the GT5 version of GT-TV on March 14, 2014 (two months before its servers closed), with video programs already obtained being still be viewed or redownloaded until March 14, 2015.[4] Some of the in-house GT-TV content such as the 24 Hours Nürburgring documentaries and car trailers are widely available on YouTube, uploaded by other users (some of these are also available on the official Gran Turismo TV YouTube channel).
Although GT-TV did not return in Gran Turismo 6, the video player used by it appears to be also used for videos in that game's Ayrton Senna Tribute mode. Additionally, the feature is mentioned in the menu to delete that game's system cache.
YouTube channel[]
The current Gran Turismo TV YouTube channel was created on August 4, 2010 (although uploads did not begin until mid-2012, coinciding with 24 Hours Nürburgring that year, as well as the Asian Championship that same year) and contains trailers for the games and the updates, as well as coverage (both race broadcasts and post-race highlights) of the Gran Turismo World Series. Occasionally, some topical videos such as Kaz: Pushing the Digital Divide are also posted, as well as (during life of Gran Turismo Sport) lap guides, top Sport Mode time trial runs, and Gran Turismo Icons, profiling cars that are featured in GT Sport. As of GT7, Igor Fraga's Super GT and Super Formula (and previously, Super Formula Lights) race diaries are also part of the channel's content line-up. Opening movies from games starting from Gran Turismo 4 (in its Japanese version) are also available, except for the original GT5 opening movie.
On June 24, 2013, hundreds of videos from the legacy (and since closed) Gran Turismo YouTube channel dating back from Gran Turismo 5 Prologue and Gran Turismo 5 era were posted in a migration. Most of the migrated content were related to those games, such as trailers.
The Gran Turismo TV YouTube channel also contains hundreds of unlisted videos used by Gran Turismo Sport to aid in navigation of menus (as well as explanatory videos for Driving School, Mission Challenge, and Circuit Experience modes), as well as the Racing Etiquette video for Gran Turismo 7's Sport Mode.