Gran Turismo 5 delayed again

Gran Turismo 5's long and winding road to release has hit another speed bump. Following some rumors out of Russia, Sony has now confirmed that Polyphony Digital's racing simulator will miss its November 2 release date. Instead, the game will arrive sometime "this holiday season" in the US and Japan. In the UK and Europe, it will arrive "before Christmas."

"We sincerely apologize to GT fans for the delay," said Sony Computer Entertainment producer Taku Imasaki in a statement on the official PlayStation Blog. "However, creator Kazunori Yamauchi and the team at Polyphony Digital want to make certain they are creating the perfect racing experience, and we are confident that this ambitious game will exceed expectations when it launches."

Today's news is the latest detour on Gran Turismo 5's journey to stores. First teased at the PlayStation 3's unveiling at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo, the ultrarealistic racer will feature nearly 1,000 vehicles on more than 70 tracks in 20-plus locations. Budgeted at a whopping $60 million, it is also an official licensee of several prominent racing organizations, such as NASCAR and the World Rally Championship. An early sample of the PlayStation 3 exclusive, Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, was released in April 2008, garnering decent reviews.