A lot can occur in a 12 months, particularly when considered throughout the sphere of dwell service. At occasions, a 12 months looks like it may go on eternally, however upon wanting again, a number of years move throughout the blink of a watch. Such is the consideration of Gran Turismo 7, Polyphony Digital’s newest mainline title in its profitable driving sim franchise. Even when three years looks like a drop in comparison with different video games that acquired post-launch help, it’s nonetheless going sturdy, nonetheless delivering glorious content material, and, maybe most significantly, nonetheless the king of racing sims.
Not that it was a straightforward crown to achieve, particularly at first. Launching in March 2022, every week after Elden Ring, it nonetheless had nice success, with its launch month being the highest-grossing in franchise historical past. It even ranked second in gross sales charts for that month. Crucial reward was additionally sturdy throughout the board, and Sony appeared poised for one more first-party hit. That’s, till a patch launched shortly post-launch elevated the quantity of grinding required and made the microtransactions stick out all of the extra.
Granted, there have been different points – being at all times on-line to entry the vast majority of content material (which turned problematic throughout a 30-hour-long server upkeep stint) and the shortage of a correct Profession Mode chief amongst them. However the grinding, for lack of a greater, floor many gamers’ gears. Fortunately, Polyphony Digital addressed development points within the coming month, growing rewards in later World Circuits and On-line Races whereas including new Endurance Race occasions and “excessive rewards” for the Circuit Expertise.
Polyphony dedicated to new programs, automobiles, World Circuit occasions, Sport Time Trials, and rather more on the time. What we didn’t count on is how in depth that help can be. Whereas there have been numerous changes, bug fixes, 64 songs for Music Replay, and the promised reward changes, the actual content material started to drop in June 2022. Three new automobiles – the Suzuki V6 Escudo Pikes Peak Particular ’98, Suzuki Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo (Gr.3 Model) and the legendary 1932 Ford Roadster – had been added to the sport alongside Watkins Glen Worldwide. On the time, it in all probability didn’t look like a lot, particularly after the controversies, but it surely kickstarted a near-monthly cadence of updates ongoing to today.
Three extra automobiles dropped in July 2022. The Nissan Skyline Tremendous Silhouette Group 5 ’84, Maserati A6GCS/53 Spyder ’54, and Porsche 918 Spyder ’13 – three extra huge automobiles, every catering to completely different fans. The August 2022 replace expanded the choice much more with the McLaren MP4/4 ’88 for System One fans, the Pontiac GTO ’69 for muscle automobile followers, the Porsche Cayman GT4 ’16, and even the luxurious De Tomaso Mangusta (Christian Dior).
The replace additionally marked the primary time new layouts had been added to present tracks, beginning with Circuit de Barcelona- Catalunya, as gamers might select between Rallycross, No Chicane (substituting the ultimate nook for a speedier proper flip), and the Nationwide Structure. In September 2022, much more new automobiles adopted, together with the prototype Volkswagen ID.R ’19, Nissan Silvia Ok’s Kind S (S14) ’94, and the modern Porsche Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo Spyder.
The free automobile choices slowly however certainly started to ramp up in October with 4 new additions – the Maserati Merak SS ’80, Mazda Roadster NR-A (ND) ’22, and the Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R (KPGC110) ’73 and GT-R NISMO GT3 ’18. November solely featured three new automobiles by comparability – together with the BMW M2 Competitors ‘18, Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth ‘87, and Nissan Silvia Ok’s Aero (S14) ‘96 – but it surely additionally added the Michelin Raceway Highway Atlanta Race Circuit, the house of “Petit Le Mans.”
It additionally marked the arrival of probably the most requested options since launch – the flexibility to promote automobiles. Polyphony ended the 12 months on a powerful notice with 5 extra automobiles – the Ferrari Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo, Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm ’20, Bugatti Chiron ’16, Chevrolet Corvette C8 Stingray ’20 and Toyota Celica GT-FOUR Rally Automobile (ST205) ’95.
2023 marked the title’s first anniversary. Nevertheless, a free replace including PlayStation VR2 help went dwell in February, supporting all modes, races and split-screen alongside a VR Showroom to take a look at all of the automobiles up shut. It additionally marked the arrival of GT Sophy, which debuted in Gran Turismo Sport however was by no means accessible for the broader participant base. That modified with GT7’s limited-time occasion, “Race Collectively,” permitting gamers to race in opposition to the racing AI on 4 tracks. It might finish later in March, however that wouldn’t be the final we noticed of Sophy.
Outdoors of this, the February 2023 replace noticed the addition of the traditional Grand Valley, notably its Freeway 1 format, and 5 new automobiles – the Honda RA272 ’65, the Italdesign Exeneo Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo Avenue and Off-Highway Mode, Citroen’s DS 21 Pallas ’70, and the Porsche 911 Carrera RS (901) ’73. Whereas it didn’t launch an replace on the precise anniversary of the launch, Polyphony’s March 2023 replace introduced 5 new automobiles, 120 FPS help on PS5, and, better of all, two new Nurburgring layouts. April adopted with 4 extra automobiles, together with the Dallara SF23 Toyota ’23 and Honda ’23 accompanied by the brand new Tremendous System race kind in World Circuits.
Three extra automobiles arrived in Might, together with the Nissan GT-R NISMO (R32) ’90, alongside one other long-promised characteristic – Engine Swap. These at Collector Degree 50 with GT Auto might now change the engines for choose automobiles. The Tuning Store acquired a brand new class referred to as “Final” which provides extra uncommon elements, additional increasing the customization and tuning.
June was a comparatively extra innocuous replace however nonetheless important, including the Aston Martin Valkyrie ’21 and two rally automobiles – the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution III GSR ’95 and the Subaru Impreza Sedan WRX STi ’04. 4 new occasions additionally went dwell throughout World Circuits, like Fisherman’s Ranch and Autopolis, whereas Music Rally noticed six new additions to its roster. If that wasn’t sufficient, you may have interaction in new conversations with choose characters in GT Cafe for particular automobiles, entry a brand new “Fanatec” part within the Museum, and play with six new Engine Swaps.
July noticed no updates as Polyphony targeted on aggressive occasions such because the Producers Cup, the Porsche Esports Problem USA, and the Toyota GAZOO Racing GT Cup. Issues picked again up in August with the discharge of the Gran Turismo film. Whereas not probably the most critically acclaimed by an extended shot, it allowed gamers to assert the GT-R Nismo GT3 ’18 and its film-exclusive livery till late September in-game. This was along with 4 extra automobiles, together with the primary ambulance (the Toyota Ambulance Himedic ’21) and the Toyota GR Corolla MORIZO Version ’22 (which didn’t require spending any credit in case you took half in any spherical of the TGR Cup).
September was on the smaller aspect with solely three new automobiles, whereas October noticed a single repair for an software error in Every day Races and Championship races. Nevertheless, that’s solely as a result of it was readying for a significant drop in November. Say howdy to Spec 2, which added a whopping seven new automobiles just like the Dodge Charger R/T 426 Hemi ‘68, the Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II ‘91 and the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (992) ‘22.
Lake Louise served as the most recent circuit, providing three layouts, every with icy roads requiring snow tires. 5 new common race occasions and two new skilled race occasions had been additionally launched. High quality of life options included the Occasion Listing for mentioning accessible occasions (relying in your settings, after all) and the Dashboard to view each side of development from the principle menu.
The Weekly Problem introduced a brand new collection of occasions to finish with particular rewards whereas GT Sophy returned, this time completely. You would now compete in opposition to it in Fast Race (previously Arcade Race), full 50 new skilled challenges for the brand new Grasp License, have interaction in four-player split-screen play on PS5, and rather more.
Given the replace’s dimension, it made sense that December was naked. Polyphony did host some login campaigns with every day rewards and a particular Automobile Ticket to thank followers for his or her help of Gran Turismo Sport, whose on-line providers would finish in January 2024.
In fact, the month noticed the return of month-to-month updates, together with three new automobiles – the Genesis X Gran Berlinetta Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo Idea, BVLGARI Aluminum Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo and Suzuki Jimny XC ’18, an all-terrain automobile. The Jimny Cup was additionally accessible as a brand new occasion, and new Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo Trophy races had been playable on Tokyo Expressway and Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
Until June 2024 (which noticed no replace), Polyphony Digital added 14 new automobiles, together with the ŠKODA Imaginative and prescient Gran Turismo, a Gran Turismo-exclusive automobile and new World Circuit occasions. It’s additionally value declaring that GT Cafe, which served as a de facto Profession mode as gamers collected automobiles and accomplished duties whereas studying extra about every producer, additionally acquired updates.
On prime of the bottom 39, there have been 11 submit “ending” Bonus Books that segued into World Circuit Occasions and would award automobiles or roulette tickets for random automobiles and elements alongside Credit. You would additionally take part in 40 Further Books, which could possibly be accomplished upon reaching the required Collector Degree, and awarded automobiles and much more roulette tickets. In fact, it additionally expanded on Scapes with dozens of latest areas for gamers to {photograph} their automobiles.
July 2024 launched six new automobiles, together with the Ferrari 430 Scuderia ‘07, Lamborghini Gallardo LP 560-4 ‘08, and Subaru Impreza Rally Automobile ‘98, alongside the traditional Eiger Nordwand circuit. The physics mannequin additionally noticed a giant replace, leading to improved tire response. Weight shifting in corners, tire heating and tire put on additionally turned extra practical.
The subsequent content material replace arrived in October, the biggest hole thus far, and added three new automobiles, 5 World Circuit Occasions, two further tracks for GT Sophy, extra new character conversations, and ten new Engine Swaps. Nevertheless, November noticed the arrival of PS5 Professional help, which added ray-traced reflections, 8K decision help, improved VR Mode high quality, and a brand new mode leveraging PSSR that supplied a excessive body fee with higher picture high quality. 5 new automobiles, three new World Circuit occasions, further Engine Swaps, new wheels for 3 manufacturers and extra model decals had been additionally made accessible.
To date, 2025 has seen the distinctive help proceed with 14 new automobiles added as much as Might, extra World Circuits, GT Cafe Menus, Scapes, and tracks to compete in opposition to GT Sophy. It’s been an extended journey, and whereas it might stand to enhance in some areas, Gran Turismo 7 is a a lot completely different beast from when it launched by way of content material and gameplay, and arguably the very best fashionable racing sim. Even when it has a heavy legacy to dwell as much as, we’re excited to see the place Polyphony Digital takes it subsequent.
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