Gran Turismo Sport

***Gran Turismo Sport*** is a 2017 racing video game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 4; a version of the game is also compatible with PlayStation VR headset. It is the seventh major installment of the *Gran Turismo* series, its first non-numbered main entry, and the twelfth overall.

It is the first main entry in the series since 2013's *Gran Turismo 6*. While retaining its predecessors' simulation racing elements, *Gran Turismo Sport* places more emphasis on competitive online racing. Gameplay is divided between two modes called "Sport Mode" and "Arcade Mode", as well as a limited virtual reality mode called "VR Tour Mode". *Sport* originally launched without a traditional single-player mode like its predecessors, and had 168 cars and 29 tracks at release. Later updates added a single-player mode and boosted the game into including 324 cars and 82 tracks.

Polyphony Digital began working on *Gran Turismo Sport* following the release of *Gran Turismo 6* and the launch of the PlayStation 4. Series creator and designer Kazunori Yamauchi served as the game's producer and director. It uses the same physics engine used for its predecessor, with Yamauchi emphasizing the PlayStation 4's greater processing prowess for the title's development. It became notably the first *Gran Turismo* game to include Porsche vehicles. *Gran Turismo Sport* was originally aimed at a 2014 or 2015 release, but was delayed several times to allow further polish before finally releasing in 2017.

Critical reception towards *Gran Turismo Sport* was generally favorable at launch, though it became the lowest-rated mainline *Gran Turismo* game according to MetaCritic. It was widely praised for its visuals, audio design and controls, but was criticized on its lack of a dedicated single-player mode at launch and online requirements. The game's changes from previous titles in the series drew polarized opinions, with some critics appreciating the more focused experience and robust mechanics, while others lamenting the omission of series elements and lack of content. Post-release support and updates gradually improved critical reception, with praise towards its greater variety of vehicles, tracks and modes. A commercial success, *Gran Turismo Sport* reached over 9.2 million players by 2021, and was nominated for several accolades.

## Release

In September 2023, Polyphony Digital announced that online services for *Gran Turismo Sport* will end on January 31, 2024. In-game purchases will be discontinued on December 1, 2023.

## Reception

### Reviews

* MetaCritic: 75/100
* OpenCritic: 76/100
* Destructoid: 6/10
* Edge: 6/10
* Easy Allies: 8/10
* EGM: 6/10
* Eurogamer: Recommended (EN); 8/10 (IT)
* Game Informer: 7.75/10
* GameRevolution: 6/10
* GameSpot: 8/10
* GamesRadar: 8/10
* IGN: 7.5/10 (EN); 8.3/10 (IT); 8.8/10 (JP)
* PlayStation LifeStyle: 7/10
* PlayStation Universe: 7.5/10
* Push Square: 7/10

*Gran Turismo Sport* received generally favorable reviews from gaming publications, albeit more polarized reception overall in comparison to its predecessors; it holds a score of 75/100 on MetaCritic, making it the lowest-rated mainline installment on the site. *Gran Turismo Sport* was widely praised for its visuals, controls, streamlined design and competitive online gameplay, but was also criticized for its relative lack of content on launch and always-online requirements, as well as lack of a traditional single-player mode that was available in previous titles. The game's overall deviation from series traditions has drawn mixed responses, with critics split in their opinion whether Polyphony's approach paid off.

## Sequel

A successor and a new numbered title, *Gran Turismo 7*, was announced by Sony in June 2020 during its Future of Gaming event. Initially announced for 2021 as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, *Gran Turismo 7* was delayed to 2022 due to complications with the COVID-19 pandemic, and was revealed in June 2021 to additionally release on the PlayStation 4.

## References

1. ↑ https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gran-turismo-sport-online-services-will-end-in-january-2024/1100-6518066/