In what first appears to be a dry interview, closer inspection reveals an interesting tidbit from Yamauchi about the multiplayer functionality in Gran Turismo PSP. As we already know, up to four players can compete wirelessly via the PSP’s ad-hoc wireless mode. That’s cool, but there’s more to it than that - GT PSP will be one of the first games outside of Japan to take advantage of the little-known Ad-Hoc Party application.
First released in Japan late last year, Ad-Hoc Party is a free application downloaded to your PlayStation 3. Once running, your PSP connects wirelessly to your PS3, through which you can play games with your friends over the Internet. It’s an interesting, decentralized method of bringing online play to PSP titles without requiring game developers to implement the additional functionality or maintain server infrastructure. The implications of online play for GT PSP are huge, adding lots of depth and fun to a title that some hard-core players had dismissed.
Sony representatives have already confirmed that Ad-Hoc Party is coming to the United States, so keep an eye out for more information about the software in the coming weeks and months. For now, check out the Japanese video above for a visual explanation of how the Ad-Hoc Party application works.
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