Sony Gulf and Jumbo Electronics, SCEE’s distributor in the UAE, announced today the two top finalists of the PlayStation2 Gran Turismo 4 Challenge that took place at the Burjuman Mall over the weekend. Twenty-seven year old Fadi Tammour and 18-year old Arnold Vergheseold, who clocked the fastest lap at 53.601 and 53.903 seconds respectively, will take part in the Middle East GT4 Challenge Grand Final this month in Dubai where top drivers from all GCC countries will race against each other for a chance to be crowned Middle East champion and win a new Nissan 350Z sports car. The winner will also get a chance to compete for the world champion title in Le Mans, France, in June 2005.
Set to be the biggest competition of its kind ever to be held in the Middle East, the PlayStation2 Gran Turismo 4 Challenge allows gaming fans and racing enthusiasts to compete on the PlayStation2 Gran Turismo 4 driving simulator, launched across the region last month. Featuring over 700 cars and more than 100 race tracks, including world-famous circuits such as Suzuka, the notorious Nurburgring Nordschleife and La Sarthe at Le Mans, GT4 redefines previously set standards of video gaming. The game also offers city courses in Seoul, Paris, Tokyo, New York and Monte Carlo and brings an option of power and speed drag-strips, original, dirt and snow tracks, as well as driving parks.
The Gran Turismo series, having sold over 38 million copies across the world, is one of the highest selling software series in the history of gaming. Fuelled by game designer Kazunori Yamauchi’s passion for cars, GT4 has taken producers Polyphony Digital four years to develop and is the largest video game ever made. It would take more than 120 days of playing 24-hours non-stop just to sample each car on every track for just five minutes.
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PS one and PlayStation 2 software and hardware in 102 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes games software for the two formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for these platforms in the PAL territories. At the end of December 2004, over 39 million PlayStation units had been shipped across these PAL territories, over 101 million worldwide. Between its European debut on 24 November 2000 and the end of December 2004, over 29 million PlayStation 2 units have been shipped across the PAL territories, over 81 million world-wide, making it one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history.
