Nov 19: It's only a game, right?

It's only a game, right?

Sure, from what I've heard and read, it is a very realistic game, but oh, how things have changed over the years. This game is almost reality (again from what I've read). The game I'm referring to is Vision Gran Turismo. As of December 6th, 2013 it will be celebrating its 15th anniversary.......

Scenes like this have become possible thru the amazing graphics, that can be generated on the computer. Or how about this nail bitter.......

Edge of your seat action, even down to the dust being kicked up by the McLaren as it goes off the edge of the track while passing what looks like a German Touring Car. It's been years since I've played video games and I never had an Xbox or a Playstation. Old school or out of touch, you decide. Some F1 drivers have even used video games to get familiar with a track before the race. Shades of Tom Cruise in "Days of Thunder"?

How far have these things come? Well, before the much anticipated 2014 Corvette was unveiled last January in Detroit, it was disguised and shown in this game.........

Now does that tell you how important Gran Turismo is, when a major manufacturer adds a yet to be released car to a video game? Shows you how influential these things have become.

But it's only a game, right?

One wonders, now that Mercedes has unveiled a life sized version of their next video game star.........

The AMG Vision Gran Turismo was designed and built specifically for the video game and there are no plans to make them for public consumption. Apparently even Nike is having a car (Nike ONE) designed specially for Vison Gran Turismo. And this is just the start, as a few other car manufacturers will follow shortly with game specific cars.

How things have changed. Could this be the start of a trend, when other games feature specially designed cars? How about this Monopoly piece as a start........

Now, what could Mercedes, BMW or even Nike do with this one?

Until next time........