The February 2022 State Of Play broadcast gave an in-depth look at what to expect in the upcoming racing game Gran Turismo 7. It’s been 25 years since the first game debuted on the original PlayStation, and this numbered entry looks to recapture that old magic with many fan-favourite features returning, and new improvements.
Here’s a summary of what was showcased in the Gran Turismo 7 State Of Play livestream:
Cars And Tracks
There will be over 400 cars (no exact numbers being confirmed) in Gran Turismo 7, roughly 300 of them are from the year 2001 and newer.
For comparison, GT Sport has 338 cars, including all the post-launch additions which ended with update 1.62 in late 2020.
As for tracks, there are 34 locations (10 in the Americas, 15 in Europe, 9 in Asia-Oceania, and a total of 97 layouts (extra configurations of the same tracks).
The confirmed locations, shown in the UI from the State Of Play livestream, are as follows:
- Blue Moon Bay Speedway
- Trial Mountain Circuit
- Willow Springs International Raceway
- Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca
- Northern Isle Speedway
- Daytona International Speedway
- Goodwood
- Brands Hatch
- Nurburgring
- Alsace
- Autrodomo Lago Maggiore
- Sardegna (Road Track)
- Autrodomo Nazionale Monza
- Red Bull Ring
- Dragon Trail
- Deep Forest Raceway
- Autopolis
- Kyoto Driving Park
- Suzuka Circuit
- Broad Bean Raceway
- High Speed Ring
- Fuji International Speedway
- Tokyo Expressway
- Mount Panorama
- Tsukuba Circuit
Several tracks are not shown on the World Circuit screen as they are not unlocked yet. But based on all the blips placed on the world map, it’s likely that all the tracks featured in GT Sport are returning in Gran Turismo 7 (some of the gameplay footage in the State Of Play feature these unlisted tracks).
Here are the other locations that are not featured on the World Circuit track selection screen, assuming all GT Sport tracks return:
- Colorado Springs
- Fishermans Ranch
- Autódromo De Interlagos
- Special Stage Route X
- Spa-Franchorchamps
- Catalunya
- Circuit De La Sarthe
- Circuit de Sainte-Croix
- Sardegna
More cars and tracks will be added post-launch.
The World Map
Gran Turismo 7 is bringing back the World Map display for its main menu. It’s very much different to the layout seen in the first reveal, but still retains the same feel.
The map is a resort, featuring all the amenities for a car enthusiast. A home to store your cars in, a used car lot to buy used cars, Brand Central is a shopping mall, and the place where you go sign up for races is a coliseum. Because that’s what GT4 did.
The Cafe
The Cafe is one of these locations and presents a new feature: car collecting as gameplay. Visiting the cafe will get you menu books, tasks to buy or earn a collection of three specific cars, each with a theme.
You’ll also be getting lessons of car history and culture by indulging in these tasks. Even actual car designers will make cameos to explain their creations to you, interestingly enough.
Also, there’s another reason to engage in collecting the sets of three cars. Rewards include unlocking tracks.
Buying Cars
There are two places where you can buy cars in Gran Turismo 7. One is through Brand Central, which houses cars produced in 2001 and newer.
Or you can go bargain hunting at the used car dealership. Well, not all of them are cheap bargains. Rarer cars tend to cost more. Expect JDMs and the occasional old Italian supercar to fetch a high price. Unlike Brand Central, the list of cars available in the used car dealership refreshes every day.
License Tests and Driving Missions
A staple of Gran Turismo, the license test is a series of challenges designed to teach you how to drive cars in a fast manner. A tutorial, if you will. But you want to keep trying to beat that gold time for the best rewards.
Driving Missions allow you to partake in different event types, unlike the normal races. This is where you find drag races and drift trials.
Multiplayer
2-player split-screen multiplayer is confirmed to be available. In addition, you can also race online with friends by opening a lobby. Sport Mode, the ranked multiplayer racing mode introduced in GT Sport, is back as well.
Single-Player Races
Single-player races are accessed through the World Circuits option. From here, you can select a track, and either go do a championship race, a custom race where you can adjust many different settings like lap times and rival cars, and Circuit Experience. This mode lets you learn the sectors of each track, for those looking to shave off time from their laps.
Car Upgrades, Tuning, Customisation
GT7 will allow you to upgrade your cars with different parts. Make the old Volkswagen Bettle faster with a better exhaust and ECU to make it go faster around Brands. If you know what you’re doing, you can also tune cars by adjusting their suspension, wing angle, and gear ratios.
There’s also car customisation. Not only can you change colours, but you can also change the bumpers and even add wings and roll cages to some cars. Some cars even have the option to install a widebody kit, which like in real life, is an irreversible process.
There are over 650 aerodynamic parts, 130 wheels, and 1200 different real-life paint colours. The real paint colours are now labelled with the manufacturer’s logo. Not everyone knows the Rosso Corsa is the exact name for Ferrari’s signature red colour or Honda’s Championship White. So anyone who plays GT will know who to point their finger at with all the posh and silly car colour names.
The Livery Editor, returning from GT Sport, has some upgrades as well. Stickers can be applied to windows and sticker/vinyl/decal count for a car has been increased. Expect more elaborate creations, and many, many itasha designs.
You will also need to maintain cars. GT Auto allows you to get the car washed, a change of oil and a chassis restoration if required.
Photo Mode
GT7 will have a Photo Mode, in two forms. One is Scapes. This is where you take your cars to around the world in 2500 different spots. In reality, you are just superimposing the car model into an existing photo, but you can make it look as good as a real photo.
You can also capture photos from races from pausing them. Both modes allow access to various photography effect sliders, some that you might be more familiar to actual photographers.
Sharing Content With The Community
Similar to GT Sport, GT7 lets you share saved replays, photos, liveries, and stickers. You can share these content to the public on the Showcase option.
PS5 Version Features
The PS5 version of GT7 will make use of ray-tracing, as well as the DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. You can feel when the tyres lock when you brake too hard. Expect to feel a lot more of the grip of a car than the usual vibration options available.
Dynamic Weather and Time, Improved Physics
Time and weather can now change dynamically rather than it being a static option. This is tied to the simulation, where the track evolves across a long race in different conditions as shown in a time-lapse. The track becomes more rubbered in over time, rain will wash it away and when the tracks are drying out, a dry racing line can be seen developed.
Whether dynamic weather and time is available on all tracks or in select ones remains to be seen.
In addition, GT7 is boasting some improvements in its car physics simulation model, utilising feedback from their partners at tyre makers Michellin, advisor 7-times F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton, as well as feedback from the best drivers competing in the FIA GT Championships, i.e. the esports pros.
Music Rally and Music Replay
Finally, the last new feature might seem like an oddball addition, but it makes sense to some fans. With Music Replay, all replays in GT7 now have camera angles that switch in sync with the beat of the music, creating this music video vibe. Or rather, recreating those vibes in all the Gran Turismo intro sequences.
Additionally, there’s a new mode to highlight this feature, Music Rally. It looks like an arcade race where you drive across checkpoints accruing more time (or as this game mode calls it, beats), and will last as long as the current music is playing.
Online Requirement
Unfortunately, GT7 like GT Sport before it will require an online internet connection to save game progression and have access to “most vehicles, races, modes and tuning features.”
Gran Turismo 7 will be out on March 4 for the PS4 and PS5.
Source: Gran Turismo