While us poor old westerners have never been given a solid idea of when we might see our version of the game, this announcement isn’t especially encouraging for those who are still waiting. Conspiracy theories abound (in several places) on exactly what the “production-related” issues are that Sony say have caused this latest delay – their unwillingness to set a new release date is a bit unnerving given how long the title has already been in development.

Now, I own a PS3, and although I can’t say GT5 was ever a game I was desperate to play on it, it bugs me how Sony have swung another hammer blow to a nail in the PS3’s coffin. How many more times are they going to drop the ball? Is it even a ball any more, or a mangled, deflated mass after being repeatedly dumped into a spiky burning pit of doom? Did they release the PS3 purely as an exercise in finding out the most cackhanded and drawn out way of systematically ruining a gaming platform? Sometimes it certainly seems that way.

Yes, I exaggerate. It probably isn’t that bad, and the pit wasn’t actually very spiky at all. Look on the bright side: at least Final Fantasy XIII appears to be on schedule…

Gosh, this time of year seems to roll around quicker and quicker lately. The finalists for 2009’s Independent Games Festival [link] have been announced and you can check the list of finalists and award nominations right here.

Other than the contenders that you may already know about like Cortex Command [link] and – rather inexplicably, I must say – You Have To Burn The Rope [link], here’s a sprinkling of entries that I think deserve an immediate mention…

• Night Game [pictured], a non-violent physics puzzler designed by Nicklas “Nifflas” Nygren alongside other talented folks from Nicalis.
• Dyson [link], from Rudolf Kremers and Alex May. A procedurally-generated RTS with a soothing ambiance but frantic gameplay – it’s come a long way since the TIGSource competition where it originated, and what’s more, it’s made in the UK! Yay!
• Mightier [link], giving that printer and webcam of yours something useful to do! Create landscapes in this 3D platformer from Ratloop by drawing them on a printed piece of paper then scanning them back into the game.

More coverage of this year’s IGF to come in the following weeks, but for now, good luck to all the finalists!

Keep track of the most recent developments as the beta opens up on the European community messageboard.