Chapter Summaries

Amenva unveiled Gran Turismo, a racing game presented as a real driving simulator, and Jeff Gordon realized its lifelike racing footage had all been recorded in-game. The trailer promised a major reveal on Easter, prompting Gordon to replace his next day's track training with digital simulation.

• Amenva introduced Gran Turismo with a logo and subtitle that distinguished it from Need for Speed and promised a real driving simulator.
• The trailer showed mainstream cars racing on a remarkably realistic Nürburgring Nordschleife, with detailed handling and suspension behavior.
• Jeff Gordon watched the trailer and initially mistook its footage for live racing before noticing the end card said it had been recorded on Nvafsin.
• Gordon recognized that the entire trailer was in-game footage and was stunned by its lifelike cars, track, and vehicle dynamics.
• Gordon saw that the reveal was scheduled for April 11, 1993, Easter, and decided his next day's training would be digital simulation.

On Easter, NASCAR driver Gordon bought a Nvafsin and Gran Turismo, drawn by its realistic cars and apparent modification system. He chose the expert driving assists for the music rally and was startled when the controller’s vibrations made the car feel real.

• Gordon drove his modified Chevrolet Camaro home after buying Gran Turismo and a Nvafsin.
• Gordon examined the game’s achievements and realized players could buy cars and install modifications.
• Gordon started the game offline and found its music rally introduction, featuring songs from Ame Records.
• Gordon selected expert mode, disabling all driving assists, and began the music rally.
• Gordon felt the controller vibrate with the engine as he accelerated, as if he could sense the road beneath the car.

Gordon experienced the racing game's realistic driving and directional controller feedback, then finished the tutorial and entered a world packed with cars. He bought an inexpensive starter car and set his sights on earning enough to buy a Chevrolet Camaro and tuning parts.

• Gordon raced through the tutorial and marveled at how the car's handling and the controller's vibration conveyed realistic driving and spatial feedback.
• Gordon overtook a Volkswagen Golf III and won gold, completing the beginner tutorial.
• Gordon watched the game's opening montage of automotive history and entered the main game with 20,000 currency.
• Gordon browsed the Used car dealership and was astonished by its seemingly endless list of cars, many far beyond his budget.
• Gordon ordered a cheap car costing just over ten thousand and resolved to earn money for a Chevrolet Camaro and tuning parts.

Gordon recognized Gran Turismo as a love letter to car enthusiasts, built around driving, improving, and collecting vehicles. After the game sold over a million copies and boosted console sales and automotive confidence, General Motors president Russell celebrated the company’s partnership with Amenva.

• Gordon bought a Chevrolet Camaro Z28 and appreciated Gran Turismo’s detailed car histories, realistic driving, and progression system.
• Gordon realized he wanted to collect cars from Chevrolet, other American brands, and manufacturers around the world.
• Gran Turismo sold over a million copies in its first week, gained strong player retention, and helped increase Nvafsin sales.
• Automotive reports showed rising market confidence and increased sales for models featured in Gran Turismo.
• Russell drove a Camaro alongside Lin Lixin’s Corvette at Amenva headquarters and credited the partnership with helping General Motors.

Hironobu Sakaguchi and Yasuhiro Fukushima agreed to cooperate with Sony, giving Square and Enix an alternative to Nintendo as Sony prepared its PlayStation. At Amenva, Sam heard Doug Lowenstein propose a video game industry association and an American gaming expo.

• Ken Kutaragi showed Hironobu Sakaguchi the PlayStation disc's storage capacity and low cost, persuading him to work with Sony.
• Hironobu Sakaguchi returned to Sony with Yasuhiro Fukushima, and Square and Enix joined the cooperation effort.
• Doug Lowenstein met Sam at Amenva and proposed forming the Interactive Digital Software Association to improve industry self-regulation.
• Doug Lowenstein pitched an American video game expo called the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3.

Lin Lixin decided to hold the first E3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center on May 11, turning Amenva’s need for a major exhibition into a gaming-world event. As exhibitors rushed to join and the show’s format was set, he told Amenva’s developers to create a fast-paced game suited to short demo sessions.

• Lin Lixin met Doug Lowenstein and agreed to hire him to run E3, with John Branca and other associates helping.
• Lin Lixin ordered preparations for E3 on May 11, inviting Nintendo, Sony, Sega, Namco, Activision, and other companies.
• Media coverage sparked a surge in exhibitors, and Lin Lixin secured a long-term contract with the Los Angeles Convention Center.
• The organizers announced a one-week schedule with professional days, public days, and a final trial-sales day.
• Lin Lixin told Amenva’s development department that exhibition visitors would have only a few minutes to play and asked for an ultra-fast-paced game that could quickly hook them.