Gran Turismo 4: Online Public Beta

This is a limited edition of the 2004/2005 racing game Gran Turismo 4 featuring extra online services that were removed from the standard game due to some issues and a lack of time as the game had been delayed several times. Selecting the extra “Online” mode leads to the “Online Home” that features additional game modes, “Quick Race”, “Tuned Car Race”, “Private Race” (that requires a password) and “Time Attack”. “News” inform about the availability for the online courses or special events, with limited date and time. Public online services ended on September 1, 2006.

This public beta for Gran Turismo 4 Online (GT4OL) was freely shipped to 4,700 selected “GranTurismo.com” members from Japan and 300 from South Korea to collaborate as “test players”. Online services lasted three months from June 1 to September 1, 2006 and included 6-player “Competition” (対戦, taisen), Time Trial, chat (mail message and microphone communication), and an Internet ranking chart was available in the game’s website.

This test was not intended to precede a Gran Turismo 4 Online full scale release but instead to be used as a way to develop and test online features and structures for the upcoming Gran Turismo 5 on the PlayStation 3 system.