GRAN TURISMO 7 – STATE OF PLAY RECAP
PlayStation's love letter to racing.
February 3, 2022
It’s been a while since developer Polyphony Digital last dropped information about Gran Turismo 7. Thankfully, that all changed in Sony’s latest State of Play. Series producer Kazunori Yamauchi gave viewers a full rundown of what to expect from the game when it releases on March 4. Here’s what we learned about Gran Turismo 7, including new changes coming to the series and what’s returning from previous games.
Over 400 Cars, Both New and Old Will Be Included
You’ll be able to take far more than modern racers for a spin in GT7
Gran Turismo 7 wouldn’t be a proper driving simulator if it didn’t feature a truckload of cars to try out. It’s looking like players won’t be disappointed this time around. Yamauchi confirmed that over 400 cars from racing history will be available for players to buy, tune, and drive. Players will be able to buy a compact car at the beginning of the campaign mode, and by earning credits through winning races, buy other cars and build their collection.
Players will be able to buy cars from three unique shops. Brand Central is an international car dealership that exclusively sells cars made after 2001. Roughly 300 cars from 50 brands will be available there. At the used car dealership, players will be able to buy cars second hand for steep discounts. Unless, of course, that used car happens to be a ‘92 Miata, in which case it may cost you more than the sticker price. Older, highly valued cars in real life will have a higher price in game. The prices and stock are set to change on a daily basis at the used car dealership.
Lastly, there’s the legendary car shop. Here, players will be able to find vehicles that have transcended history and carved out a place in the cultural canon like Porche’s 917K. Cars in this shop will be prohibitively expensive compared to others, but they wouldn’t be legendary otherwise.
Gran Turismo 7 Will Have Dynamic Weather
Thanks to modelled weather systems, puddles will pool and dry realistically when it rains.
Weather is a staple of driving simulators, with conditions like snow affecting tire grip. Gran Turismo 7 is upping the ante, including a fully fledged weather simulation in the game. Polyphony has taken real-world weather data like humidity, temperatures, and air pressure to generate realistic clouds and weather in-game. This data is tailored to specific global positions, meaning that the weather and cloud patterns you’ll find on a Japanese track will differ heavily from those on a Californian one.
Weather conditions will also change over time, with rain leading to puddling on tracks in locations where puddles would actually form. Once the rain stops, this water slowly evaporates in the same patterns as it does in real life. One part of the large tracks may even have pouring rain, while the other side is completely dry. The night sky has also been fully simulated to feature stars, the moon, and distant planets, with their brightness determined by how hazy the weather is.
More importantly, this dynamic weather system will affect car performance in a number of ways.
The Car Physics and Tuning Have Been Elevated in Gran Turismo 7
Suffice it to say, you can really go in-depth on tuning.
Gran Turismo has been around for 25 years now, and the developers have a mountain of car physics simulations to work with. In Gran Turismo 7, the car physics are a culmination of this work. The new dynamic weather system will affect car performance across the board. Wind, the slipstream effect, rain, and humidity will all affect different aspects of a car’s performance, such as engine efficiency. Even how high a car is off the ground will affect its aerodynamics.
The tuning shop is also back, with approximately 60 types of performance parts per car. Intakes, brake pads — you name it, it’s there. Yamauchi showcased a stock beetle racing against a fully tuned one and, needless to say, the difference in speed and performance was stunning. Customization is also coming back, with more sticker placement options than in previous games and a higher sticker limit.
Let’s Talk Racing
Tracks from all over the world will be included, and each comes with its own weather effects.
Cars are only half of the Gran Turismo 7 equation, you’ll also need a place to race them. Luckily this entry has a plethora of options to choose from. There are 34 racing locations with 97 layouts to pick from, including both real and fantasy circuits. The real-life locations are also designed to be inline with the actual size of the real world, meaning that a lap on one of these circuits will take the same amount of time as in real life.
License tests are back, allowing players to perform short trials to hone their skills on specific maneuvers. Likewise, there will also be unique events called mission races, time trials, and drag races, as well as drifting trials.
Car Lore Galore
Parts of GT7 will effectively act as a motorsports museum.
As part of Brand Central, Gran Turismo 7 will also feature a museum dedicated to different brands and vehicles shown in the game. This museum will have information, photos, and commentary about the history of these brands, their cars, and more.
In addition, you’ll also be able to “meet” the creators of some of the most iconic cars in history at the game’s cafe. This cafe also has a “menu” of challenges for players to beat. These car lore bits will feature information on car culture in general, and are said to be a great way for non-car people to get acquainted with the culture.
Multiple Multiplayer Options Abound in Gran Turismo 7
Which car will you be choosing today?
Two-player split screen, private races, and online general races will all be included in Gran Turismo 7. There will also be a showcase section of the game, where user created content such as liveries and tunings will be available for players to check out and try. As part of this showcase section, players will also be able to share custom pictures from their “Scapes.”
Scapes is Gran Turismo 7’s photo mode. While it won’t be included with the game at launch, it’s certainly looking like it will be worth the wait. Scapes will allow players to place a car into countless environments from around the world and then manipulate the image to get realistic yet unreal photos. You can also use Scapes on your replays to liven up your racing screenshots.
Read More: Indie Games and Small Gems To Check Out in 2022
While there are certainly big games to look forward to, there’s no shortage of smaller gaming experiences to enjoy this year either. Here are our picks for the small and indie games you should keep an eye on in 2022.
Nicolas Perez is a journalist who has played way too much Civilization 5. He’s rambling on Twitter @Nic_Perez_.
