After doing this with three PlayStation 2s and Gran Turismo 3, I wanted to see if Gran Turismo 5 could pull off the same multi-screen trick on PlayStation 3 — and it turns out to be the better version of the idea.
Project Notes
| Status | Completed |
| Goal | Play Gran Turismo 5 in ultra-widescreen across three networked PlayStation 3 consoles. |
Unlike the PS2/i.LINK approach, GT5’s multi-monitor mode runs over a plain Ethernet network rather than any special hub or cable — three PS3s, three copies of the game, and a switch (or router; Wi-Fi should work too) is all it needs. All three consoles need to be on the same version of the game, but crucially don’t need to share a PSN account.
Setup is done entirely in-game: pick one console — the middle screen — as the server and note its IP address, then set the other two to “monitor 1” and “monitor 3” and point each at that IP. Start a race from the server console and the side screens fade to black before picking up their share of the view automatically.
The PS3 version turns out to be the more capable of the two: it isn’t limited to a single Arcade mode like the PS2/GT3 setup — full simulation/career mode, licenses, and even multiplayer against CPU opponents all work correctly split across the three screens, with rock-solid sync between them. Apparently five screens is even possible, though I haven’t tried that (yet).
More details:
- Gran Turismo 3 on Multi Monitors — the PlayStation 2 project that started this
- “3 PlayStation 3s, 3 Screens” tweet
And also in video form below. Enjoy!
