Get ready for the drive of your life. Gran Turismo 7 got a new trailer and more importantly, a release date.
Revealed at the September 2021 PlayStation Showcase is a new trailer that hits all the nostalgia buttons that should make any old veteran of the Gran Turismo franchise giddy.
There’s a new rendition of Moon Over The Castle played with an organ. The cinematic shots of the lights and empty race stands and a shattered image combining to form the GT logo are a callback to the intro of the original Gran Turismo.
The rotating shot of the car while the background changes is definitely a throwback to Gran Turismo 4’s intro.
There’s even quite the choice selection of JGTC-era racing cars shown in the trailer (they got the Penzoil GT-R! and the Castrol Supra!), it’s a throwback and then some.
The devs at Polyphony Digital weren’t kidding when they said they were taking notes from past GT games.
Also, remember the teased collaboration car by Porsche for Gran Turismo Sport? Looks like the Porsche 917 Living Legend will be in GT7 instead, which makes an appearance in the trailer.
Features introduced in Gran Turismo Sport like the Livery Editor and Scapes mode are back.
Another returning classic fantasy track is revealed, the High Speed Ring with its banked corners, joining Trial Mountain.
The previously teased town-based interface for the returning campaign mode is also actual, 3D-rendered buildings this time.
In the accompanying PlayStation Blog post and the GT7 product page, it’s also confirmed that Gran Turismo 7 has a changing time and weather simulation (racing in the wets and hints of the dynamic time change are shown in the trailer).
Previously in GT Sport, weather and time are fixed. So this change brings it back in line with GT6, the first in the series to bring in dynamic time change.
The ability to bring a stock car to be tuned and upgraded into racing machines, a GT staple, is back, with some options for cosmetic customisation like wheel rims and wings. Also, the more mundane yet charming features in Gran Turismo like car wash and oil changes are back, but also expanded to include engine overhauls and restoring rigidity of a chassis.
License tests and used car dealerships also return, but new to GT7 is GT Cafe. Here, you will be dealt with a “menu” that asks you to go collect certain cars. Yes, car collecting is now a proper gameplay loop you can indulge in, and learn about the cars themselves and how they relate to the greater world.
Gran Turismo 7 arrives on PS4 and PS5 on March 4, 2022. There is no free next-gen upgrade, but you will be able to purchase a PS5 upgrade should you purchase the PS4 copy first.