Christmas has arrived a little early for all you GT fans across the world with today’s release of Gran Turismo 5. That’s right, it’s been five years in the making and it’s finally here — the most realistic and comprehensive driving experiences in one of the most highly-anticipated games ever released. And what better way to spend the 4-day weekend than diving into the world of Gran Turismo 5 head first?

To celebrate today’s release, check out our new GT video with never-before-seen footage of the game.

Not only will you be able to play with over 1,000 licensed cars from the world’s top manufacturers, race on more than 20 tracks with over 70 variations of famous world circuits, city courses, snow and dirt, and original environments popular to fans, but experience new features BRAND NEW to the franchise. These include real-time car damage, dynamic weather effects, kart racing, access to select NASCAR cars, a Course Maker and of course, robust online community features. And did we mention that all of this is also compatible with awe-inspiring stereoscopic 3D right out of the box? The official Gran Turismo website features an incredibly in-depth look at all of the features the game has to offer, and see the more pictures like the stunning ones below taken with nothing more than the in-game Photo Mode feature.

And… don’t forget about GT Academy coming here to the US! For more details on Gran Turismo 5 and GT Academy, click here.