[Ming]

One-Year Update (7/26/05): Looking back at this article I've been impressed by how many games GM has managed to squeeze the GTO into. Next up....Cobalt, ION, G6 GTP Coupe...

Where are the GM Cars in Video Games?
GMInsidenews.com
6-12-2004

When was the last time you saw a GM car in a Playstation or Xbox video game that wasn't a Corvette/Camaro/60's Muscle Car and is currently on sale in a GM showroom? No, I'm not talking about RWD, V8 powered "Stock" car Monte Carlos in NASCAR Games.

I'm talking about Gran Turismo, Sega GT, Need For Speed Underground, -- the big games that have helped give cult status to Japanese cars - many of which aren't even offered in the U.S. - but like the Nissan Skyline GT-R, will be in the future thanks to the free advertising these games provide.

I recently spent some time with my little cousin, who lives deep in the heart of the Midwest, who could name all of the important specs of the entire Toyota, Honda, and Nissan lineup in Gran Turismo. His favorite was a Toyota MR2, and the Daihatsu Storia was a close second. His dad owns a 4-door Lumina with a blue interior. His mom a Caravan. He wants a Celica, but he's only 13 years old.

I flipped through the menus of the game and remembered how disappointed I was the first time I'd picked up a controller at Best Buy. The GM choices? Chevy: Camaro, Corvette, Camaro, Corvette, Camaro... I asked him what he thought of them.

"They look old," he said. "But I needed to buy one to compete in one of the tournaments. I sold it right after that."

Half of the tournaments in Gran Turismo required a true performance tuned FWD car, leaving Chevy out in the cold.

GM is losing the youth market battle in video games right now. Many of the kids who will be buying their first cars soon were weaned on Gran Turismo and similar games. If they know anything about domestic cars, they know that there is no such thing as a RWD, V8 powered Monte Carlo in the Chevy showroom. And the dazzling lineup of Toyota and other Japanese cars in video games leaves its mark in their minds, even if many of the variations of the Celica in GT3-ASpec aren't offered in US Toyota showrooms.

To be sure, European cars aren't represented well, nor are other Detroit makes. The Playstation racing games of any level of quality are more often than not developed in Japan - and will naturally reflect the bias of their creators, thus the complete omission of GM's excitement brand, Pontiac, from most games.

The one time I did see Pontiac in a racing game it was a sub-par rally game that had Pontiac Vibes, Firebirds and Grand Ams running around looking stock and unrealistic on dirt roads in Africa.

This needs to change. The upcoming Gran Turismo is rumored to have many more cars, including those from GM. But several of the cars I saw on lists around the web were concept cars that flirt with fiction.

Why so few stunning GM showroom cars for kids to "tune" in games? Well, until very recently, what "stuff of dreams" did GM really have to offer, other than Camaro, Corvette, and Firebird? The Sunfire GT? The Grand Am SC/T with the fake hoodscoops and orange paint? The Monte Carlo "SS" with a base Bonneville's naturally aspirated 3800? The "Rally Edition" Aztek?

Now that GM has (In addition to the Corvette) or will soon have the Cobalt SS, ION Redline, Bonneville GXP, Grand Prix Comp-G, G6 GXP coupe with the 3900 and a manual transmission, Monte Carlo SS with tuning and an engine worthy of the name, and Cadillac CTS-V, I hope that the GM marketers are providing video game developers with all of the information they need to add these cars to their games.

It's time that GM had kids putting up Pontiac posters in their bedrooms drooling over GM cars. Until we see more GM cars in video games, I expect to see the kids in my local Barnes and Noble hunched over a copy of Import Tuner, reading about a tricked out JDM-spec Mitsubishi 3000GT VR-4 Turbo, Acura Integra Type-R, or Nissan Silvia Varietta, while saving up for an entry car of one of those brands.

 

[AMcA]

Dead bang square on the target, Ming.

Makes me want to short GM stock out, say, 15 years.

 

[akumaknight]

Not exactly free advertising some one paid for the licences to use those cars

But I whole heartly agree, I want my WS6 FireHawk damnit and an 78 Bandit TA and an 87 Trans AM GTA.... and for variety throw in a good 67 Buick Wildcat :woot2:

 

[Ming]

Originally posted by akumaknight@Jun 12 2004, 10:30 AM
Not exactly free advertising some one paid for the licences to use those cars

But I whole heartly agree, I want my WS6 FireHawk damnit and an 78 Bandit TA and an 87 Trans AM GTA.... and for variety throw in a good 67 Buick Wildcat :woot2:

I think older versions of Gran Turismo had a lot of muscle cars. And Sega put out a game recently that had a "history mode" with old cars from all makes.

Cool stuff.

What concerns me, though, is that there are very few *modern* GM cars available in video games, while there are a ton of Japanese models.

Nostalgia only goes so far in influencing sales.

 

[Rex Raider]

But there are very few "desirable" North American cars in real life, forget video games.

And when I say desirable, I mean to a 17 year old kid.

Ford has the Mustang, and maybe T-bird.
GM has Corvette and CTS-v. They had Camaro and Firebird, they will have Solstice.
Chrysler has the Neon SRT4, Viper and Prowler.

That's not a whole lot of performance cars from this continent.

That's why they aren't in video games.

 

[bksavs]

Americans are just now figuring out how important the childrens market can be to future sales. We think too short term. The NASCAR generation continues to curse us. When you race a rear drive V-8 and try to sell a front drive V-6 young people feel like their being lied to. The marketing departments at the "big" 3 should be taken out and flogged. My wife loves her V-6 Camaro. My sister in-law just bought a V-6 Mustang. Why aren't these vehicles being marketed to this audience? As far as Gran Tourismo goes, My C5R kicks serious butt. The game was originally designed for the Japanese market. How many American cars are for sale in Japan. GM can't expect the game companies to approach them, GM has to go to the company and try to make a deal to get their car in the games. Again, It's called "MARKETING".

 

[BigAls87Z28]

Anyone who plays GT3 knows that there are GM cars in there.
As for asking where are GM cars in a Rally race... well, outside of Subie, GM doesnt have any rally cars.
GM races in SCCA Speed GT class, ALMS, Indy, NASCAR, and im sure other parts of the racing world.

 

[stewacide]

There are lots of Fords in these games - you just can't buy most of them in your home market.

This shows one of the advantages of a FoMoCo global branding strategy (with Ford, Jag', Volvo, Mazda, LR, Aston all having wide global distribution) over a regionalized strategy like GM (Saab and Subaru being the exceptions). In a globalized world advertizing and promotion becomes much simpler.

 

[GM_Guy81]

The Project Gotham Racing games are a bit better I think. It has the Z06, SSR, Camaro SS, and some old GM Stuff. I cant beat almost every car in that game with the 67 Vette Big block 454. Still though, you dont see Cavaliers and stuff. Hopefully the newer cars like Solstice, Cobalt SS, G6 and others will make their way into these games. Of course they are all made by Japanese companies, so that could have something to do with it.

 

[spdwayGm]

Once again, Ming shows why is the ruler of all the known worlds. I say again: ALL HAIL MING! Right on! :drevil:

 

[vanshmack]

Originally posted by stewacide@Jun 12 2004, 11:36 AM
There are lots of Fords in these games - you just can't buy most of them in your home market.

This shows one of the advantages of a FoMoCo global branding strategy (with Ford, Jag', Volvo, Mazda, LR, Aston all having wide global distribution) over a regionalized strategy like GM (Saab and Subaru being the exceptions). In a globalized world advertizing and promotion becomes much simpler.

I agree. How else can you explain Ford's success in pedaling sub-par product in multiple countries!

 

[atlantaballer101]

I agree with GM Guy81 in the Project Gotham racing series for xbox there are plently of GM cars such as the ZO6 Corvette, Corvette Stingray, Camaro SS, Camaro Z28, Pontiac Trans Am & Cadillac XLR.

 

[R.E Sanchez]

It would be nice to see if Grand Turismo gets the licencing for some of the Cadillac line-up...

 

[Ming]

Originally posted by spdwayGm@Jun 12 2004, 12:01 PM
Once again, Ming shows why is the ruler of all the known worlds. I say again: ALL HAIL MING! Right on! :drevil:

:lol:

Thanks.

Cars I'd like to see in GT4:

2005 Chevrolet:
Cobalt SS
Monte Carlo SS
Impala SS

2005 Saturn:
ION Redline

2005 Cadillac:
CTS / CTS-V, XLR, STS-V

2005-6 Pontiac:
Solstice
Grand Prix Comp-G
Bonneville GXP
G6 GXP coupe

2005 Buick:
Ummmm....
Terraza?

Saab:
Whole lineup xcept 9-7X

 

[MTRANS]

Project Gotham racing is by far the best racing game out there right now, and it has a ton of GM cars. I'm stuck on a race where you have to drive a Acura NSX, and the computer driven Corvette Z06 beats me everytime. It's getting quite frustrating, wish I could drive the vette on that level, instead of the crappy NSX.

But there are very few "desirable" North American cars in real life, forget video games.

And when I say desirable, I mean to a 17 year old kid.

Ford has the Mustang, and maybe T-bird.
GM has Corvette and CTS-v. They had Camaro and Firebird, they will have Solstice.
Chrysler has the Neon SRT4, Viper and Prowler.

That's not a whole lot of performance cars from this continent.

That's why they aren't in video games.

Rex Raider

As for being their being many performance cars elsewhere I don't consider anything with sub f-body speeds a performance car. Sorry to all you civic and celica drivers with the huge wing and the body kits you don't make the grade. Remember 90 percent of the these cars are all flash and no gas.

 

[91fairladyZ]

Originally posted by GM_Guy81@Jun 12 2004, 11:55 AM
The Project Gotham Racing games are a bit better I think. It has the Z06, SSR, Camaro SS, and some old GM Stuff. I cant beat almost every car in that game with the 67 Vette Big block 454. Still though, you dont see Cavaliers and stuff. Hopefully the newer cars like Solstice, Cobalt SS, G6 and others will make their way into these games. Of course they are all made by Japanese companies, so that could have something to do with it.

Actually project gotham is made by a British company Bizarre Creations. Ther is a new racing simulator coming out for the Xbox later this year called Forza Motorsports that is supposed to take on GT4 and include over 60 manufacturers.

 

[banzai79]

I don't think it is necessarily GM's fault. Remember, these games are made...in Japan, so what do you expect? A very large number of cars in GT3 were econoboxes, and another very large chunk of cars were just repeats of one car, e.g. the 32 million kinds of Lancer Evolution.

Besides that, they screw up the American cars on purpose to "balance" them....look at the GT3 entry for the Camaro. I don't remember if it's the SS or the Z28 but it's missing about 100 ft-lb. of torque.

Look at the supposed "performance" cars that the Japanese have in there, like Celicas and RSX's and crap like that. If kids today think those are fast it's not GM's fault that kids are morons.

Take away the repeats, the econoboxes, and the other crap, and the Japanese carmakers wouldn't have much in there either.

 

[StevenJ]

This is total bull crap. I own Sega GT, both offline and online versions and they have tons of American cars old and new! The Online version has tons of American cars and adds mostly American cars! It has two firebirds, two Camaros, THREE CORVETTES!, two Mustangs, a Charger, a Chevelle, TWO VIPERS, and more! Project Gotham II even has a American Muscle car class in game and it includes a Corvette and two Ford GTs for higher level classes. Hell, they even have a Shelby Cobra in the game, you don't get a whole lot more American than that! (Yes I know the car was originally Brittish, but lets not get into that argument ) The reason you'd think that Jap crap imports are the only cars in the game are because the idiots in the mall only want to drive thoose cars. And you usally can't get the 'Good' stuff till you get to the higher levels anyway. It's nothing but pure BS. The only pure ricer game I can think of is Need For Speed Underground and there is even an American car in that, the Ford Focus. Sure it isn't really very American, still a Ford though.

 

[leadfoot85]

Considering those 20 and under have never known a day that didn't have Honda, Toyota, and other imports...the culture of today is THOROUGHLY steeped in a history of imports and all the money is spent by those corporations to promote themselves...

GM forgot how to do this around...1980

The Big3 are just begining to remember how to market to youth again...only to stave alive in the future

<_<

 

[Yoboy791]

GT4, from what I could tell is supposed to have alot of GM vehicles here are some of the GM cars that will be in the game: and I threw in Callaway, Opel, and Saab too these are from the official GT4 car list:

Cadillac Cien Concept Modelo 2002
Cadillac Eldorado Modelo 67
Cadillac Eldorado ETC
Cadillac Evoq Concept Modelo 99
Cadillac LMP-02 Race Car Modelo 2002
Cadillac Steinmetz Catera Concept Modelo 99
Callaway C12-R
Callaway C12-R Race Car Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Camaro Modelo 69
Chevrolet Camaro 35th Anniversary
Chevrolet Camaro SS Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Camaro SS Modelo 69
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 Modelo 77
Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1 Modelo 69
Chevrolet Cavalier 2.2 Turbo Concept Modelo 2002
Chevrolet Cavalier Z24
Chevrolet Chevelle SS Modelo 68
Chevrolet Corvair Modelo 63
Chevrolet Corvette 427 Stingray Modelo 69
Chevrolet Corvette 50th Anniversary Modelo 2003
Chevrolet Corvette Astrovette Concept Car
Chevrolet Corvette C5R Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Corvette CERV III Concept Modelo 90
Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Modelo 63
Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport Modelo 96
Chevrolet Corvette Split-window Coupe Modelo 63
Chevrolet Corvette XP-830 Mako Shark II Concept Modelo 65
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Modelo 2003
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Modelo 93
Chevrolet El Camino SS Modelo 69
Chevrolet Impala SS
Chevrolet Malibu Cruiser Concept Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Monte Carlo DuPont Race Car Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS Modelo 2001
Chevrolet Nova Concorde Modelo 76
Chevrolet SSR Concept Modelo 2003
Saab 9-3 Viggen Coupe Modelo 99
Saab 9-3 Viggen Pikes Peak Rally Car Modelo 2000
Saab 9X Concept Modelo 2001
Pontiac Fiero SE Modelo 84
Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 Modelo 70
Pontiac Firebird Trans Am WS6 Modelo 2002
Pontiac G6 Concept Modelo 2003
Pontiac Grand Prix G-Force Concept Modelo 2002
Pontiac GTO Modelo 2004
Pontiac GTO Judge Modelo 70
Pontiac Rageous Concept Modelo 97
Pontiac Solstice Coupe Modelo 2002
Pontiac Sunfire Touring Race Car
Opel Ascona
Opel Astra SRi 2.0i 16V
Opel Astra V8 Coupe Race Car Modelo 2002
Opel Astra Xtreme Concept Modelo 2001
Opel Calibra DTM Race Car
Opel Calibra Turbo Modelo 91
Opel Corsa GSi OPC
Opel Corsa Sport 1.6i 16V
Opel GT
Opel Manta
Opel Speedster Modelo 2000
Opel Tigra 1.6I
Opel Tigra Ice Race Car
Opel Vectra 2.0 16V
Opel Vectra Super Touring Race Car
Oldsmobile Alero OSV Concept Modelo 2000
Oldsmobile Aurora GTS Race Car
Oldsmobile Toronado Modelo 67

,and they actually have a Monte Carlo in there to