Date: Thu, 18 Nov 1999 15:25:46 -0500 From: "Mmmanic" <mmmanicnopsamail.com> Subject: New Playstation Game Does Not Include Saab, Volvo
The new game, Gran Turismo 2, by Polyphony Digital of Japan for the Sony Playstation video game system includes over 500 cars from manufacturers in Asia, Europe and the US. Some manufacturers included in this game are Nissan, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Honda, Daihatsu, Mazda, Subaru, Peugeot, Mercedes-Benz, Lancia, Rover, Lister, TWR, Aston, Ford, GM and Chrysler/Dodge. In an interview from an Australian web site with one of the GT2 game design leads, Kazunori Yamauchi, the following question was asked: "...we also heard that some manufacturers weren't interested in being in the game because they were possibly not competitive with other car makers in performance terms in the same class. Is this true?". His answer: "Volvo and Saab did not want any of their cars in the game. I cannot say any more than this." For some reason, I feel like the interviewer re-worded his question after he heard Mr. Yamauchi answer. Mr. Yamauchi's answer was so general that his answer might have addressed a licensing or trade secret that the Swedish auto makers are trying to maintain instead of a performance issue. Needless to say, I am disappointed that Saab will be missing. The original game release over a year ago, Gran Turismo, has over 200 cars, each one accurately detailed graphically and as perfectly configured to mirror the real automobile (or as close as you can get in a video game). It would have been nice to race my car ('98 900SE) without paying thousands of dollars to tweak it in the millions of available combinations (suspension, engine, tires, turbo, racing spcifications...). Does anyone have any additional insight into why Saab and Volvo opted out?
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