Nissan GT Academy open to ME racers
This year gamers from the region will get a chance to be have-a-go racing drivers
By Shahzad Sheikh
[UPDATE! 15 Oct: The Nissan PlayStation 2012 GT Academy 2012 Gaming Qualification Goes Live tonight. Scroll down for the latest report…]
The Nissan GT Academy with Sony PlayStation is nothing new – it’s been going since 2008. Essentially it involves a competition for gamers to compete against each other to win the chance to drive real racing cars, in a real race – usually right here in the Dubai 24hours race.
Many of them have gone on to become successful racing drivers. But starting setting off many a race career right here in the UAE, the competition hasn’t been open to gamers from this region. Until now.
From this year the Middle East’s best game players get a chance to see if they can transfer their ace game-playing skills in the virtual world of Gran Turismo to the real world of circuit racing. And there’s two routes to take part – live events and an online competition.
It all kicks off at GAMES12 Dubai, the largest video gaming convention in the region, held from 20-22 September at Dubai Festival City (this weekend). Visitors to the PlayStation stand will find GT Academy simulator pods available. Whoever gets the fastest time over the three days will get a place in the next selection round. There’ll be more events in other Middle East countries through October and November.
Alternatively you can download a free ‘Gran Turismo GT Academy’ qualification challenge through your games console. In December the fastest online gamers will then join the winners from the live events at the regional final. From this group of 25, eight will go through to the International Race Camp at Silverstone to compete against an international field at the wheel of a variety of Nissan cars. The winner gets a chance to become a racing driver.
Robert Fisser, General Manager of Sony Computer Entertainment in Middle East, Africa, Turkey and India commented: “In our continuous efforts to include the ME region in global programs, we are excited to announce the first GT Academy to take place in the Middle East! Middle East racers get ready to hit the track! Tackle real life race tracks and get behind the wheels of real life race cars! It’s no longer the virtual world you’re competing in, GT5 the best real driving simulator PS3 game, just became real! Best wishes to all ME racers.”
The selection schedule is as follows:
20-22 September – Gaming Competition live event in UAE, Dubai at GAMES12
October/November – Gaming Competition live events in Bahrain, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates (dates to be confirmed)
October to December – Eight-week Online Gaming competition
January 2013 – Regional Final
March 2013 – Eight participants from ME region attend International Race Camp, Silverstone
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15th October UPDATE:
The Nissan PlayStation 2012 GT Academy 2012 Gaming Qualification Goes Live tonight
Monday, 15 October 2012: The Nissan PlayStation® GT Academy 2012 contest goes ‘LIVE’ today from 00:00 hrs GMT (03.00GST / 02.00SAST). The highly acclaimed virtual-to-reality racing competition is open to anyone in the Middle East and South Africa with a PlayStation®3 console by simply downloading a free GT Academy qualification challenge themed around the hugely popular Gran Turismo® game. At stake is the ultimate racing prize – a chance to be part of an intensive driver development training programme that has turned previous winners into professional racing drivers with Nissan.
To enter, all competitors need is access to a PS3™ with internet connection, and to register on PlayStation®Network. The eight-step online qualification format, specially developed by legendary Gran Turismo® creator Kazunori Yamauchi, poses gamers and motorsport fans a variety of fun and exciting challenges that reflect the wide range of driving skills required to master the fine art of becoming a professional racing driver. Entrants have eight weeks to complete these adrenaline-fuelled driving contests, which include handling powerful Nissan rear-wheel-drive performance cars and mastering cornering techniques at high speeds, through to setting the fastest possible lap times in wet and challenging conditions.
Whether players are discovering the award-winning Gran Turismo for the first time, or are experienced PlayStation racers, the GT Academy qualification offers racing action for everyone. It’s not just about competing with the best GT5 racers, players can also challenge friends, colleagues and family for bragging rights by monitoring scores via ‘PSN Friends Lists’.
“This time around, we’ve designed a GT Academy qualification format as part of the Gran Turismo series on an unprecedented scale and aimed towards a wide variety of players,” explained Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital. “This title may be free, but it is a truly independent piece of work and marks a place for itself along our path from GT5 to GT6.
“I felt that the only way to really do it right for GT Academy was to create a format where not only veteran Gran Turismo players, but also players who have never tried a driving simulator before, can experience the depth of race driving and the fun and excitement of time trials.”
Samir Cherfan, Director, Marketing and Sales, Nissan Middle East, added: “It is great to see a range of Nissan cars added to the online qualification process, as well as new challenges that relate closely to GT Academy’s goal of turning PlayStation gamers into real racers. We are confident that Players in the Middle-East will be up to the fantastic challenge offered to them by Nissan and Sony.
Anyone from a participating country aged 21 or over holding a full driving licence, and eligible under the terms and conditions of the competition, can enter GT Academy. The online stage of GT Academy runs from 00:00 GMT today (03:00 GST/02:00 SAST) until the early hours of Monday, 10 December, 2012 (closing at 23:59 GMT on 10/12/12 and 03:00 GST/ 02:00 SAST on 11/12/12). The competition will consist of eight driving rounds released in four groups of two rounds every fortnight.
Round 1 and 2:
Opening
15/10 (Mon) 00:00 GMT/03:00 GST/02:00 SAST
Close
10/12 (Mon) 23:59 GMT/02:59 GST/01:59 SAST
Round 3 and 4:
Opening
29/10 (Mon) 00:00 GMT/03:00 GST/02:00 SAST
Close
10/12 (Mon) 23:59 GMT/02:59 GST/01:59 SAST
Round 5 and 6:
Opening
12/11 (Mon) 00:00 GMT/03:00 GST/02:00 SAST
Close
10/12 (Mon) 23:59 GMT/02.59 GST/01:59 SAST
Round 7 and 8 (ROUND 8 IS FINAL/QUALIFICATION EVENT):
Opening
26/11 (Mon) 00:00 GMT/03:00 GST/02:00 SAST
Close
10/12 (Mon) 23:59 GMT/02:59 GST/01:59 SAST
Rounds are to be released sequentially, although once released players can re-attempt the rounds at any time, repeating as often as they wish. There is also bonus DLC to be unlocked by completing each of the rounds.
At the close of the final qualifying stage – round 8, the fastest sixteen online gamers from each territory will qualify for the ‘Regional Finals’ stage. A maximum of nine further places will be up for grabs via a series of ‘Live Event’ GT5 competitions.
Of these twenty five ‘Regional Finalists’, a total of eight winners will go through to the GT Academy ‘Race Camp’ at Silverstone – a ‘boot camp’ for aspiring racing drivers. ‘Race Camp’ will culminate with the selection of one GT Academy Champion, who will be put through the advanced ‘Driver Development’ programme in preparation for competing in the prestigious Silverstone International 24 Hour Race in a full race-spec Nissan 370Z GT4 car.
Demonstrating the success of GT Academy as a route into top-level motor sport, the previous winners – Lucas Ordoñez, Jordan Tresson, Jann Mardenborough and Bryan Heitkotter – are all competing in full race programmes for Nissan during 2012. Only one question remains: who will be the next GT Academy Champion?
Details of how to enter GT Academy 2012 can be found on various platforms including: www.facebook.com/GTAcademy, http://gran-turismo.com and www.twitter.com/PlayStation_ME
I want to be in