Gran Turismo 5 Prologue hits NA highway April 17

This week, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer publicly expressed confidence that the PlayStation 3's once-flagging fortunes have turned around. However, many gamers are holding off on buying the device for one simple reason--its dearth of "system seller" exclusives. While Sony has spent millions touting first-party games such as Lair, Uncharted, and Heavenly Sword, none have reached the multiplatinum status of the Xbox 360's Halo 3 or the Wii's Super Mario Galaxy.

That may change later this year, when a wave of highly anticipated PS3 exclusives washes up on retailers' shores. One such title is Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, the latest installment in the acclaimed racing series that helped the PlayStation 2 sell more than 100 million units worldwide. Today, Sony announced it will go on sale in North America on April 17. The $39.99 game will be available both as a 2.2GB digital download from the PlayStation Store and at retail as a Blu-ray Disc, which will also sport an exclusive making-of high-def video featurette called "Beyond the Apex." No European launch details were announced for the game, which went on sale in Japan last December to celebrate the series' 10th anniversary.

Though it won't be as expansive as the full Gran Turismo 5, which has only a tentative 2008 release window, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue will sport the same 60fps, 1080p HD graphics as its bigger brother. Developed by Polyphony Digital, the game will contain some 60 detailed replicas of real-life cars from Nissan, Audi, and Ferrari. It will also sport five racetracks (not 16, as initially reported), including re-creations of international locales such as Daytona International Speedway, which will allow 16 players to race together online. It will also feature a new in-cockpit view with realistic recreations of each vehicle's various dashboard displays, and will fully support the forthcoming DualShock 3 controller's force feedback functionality.

To help support GT5 Prologue and rev up interest in GT5 proper, Sony Computer Entertainment America is also launching Gran Turismo TV, a PlayStation Network channel "that delivers worldwide motorsport programming and manufacturer content." In addition, SCEA is planning a series of GT5 Prologue community races and related events.