Gran Turismo 7 “Power Pack” Paid DLC Now Available: New Races Including Endurance Events, Qualifying, and “Sophy 3.0”

[benjoi84]

To me it makes no sense to release a game and then continue to work on after the fact. Why not throw it all at the game and then release it and move on? I might be missing something there but to sell a product and then have to continually cater to your customers in a way doing warranty work continually seems odd. Better off just doing the job right in the first place no?

I don't understand this logic. So, you would rather they delayed the game until it was 'perfect'* and then, in the off chance there was an unforeseen issue, not release any patches or updates after the fact?

At some point one has to admit the reality of the industry as it is in 2025. Game development is by and large a very risky endeavor, with huge costs, many moving parts and lots of unpredictability. Coupled with feverish demand from the public, and publishers/backers who want to see a return on their investments yesterday, your optimistic scenario is a distant pipe dream. Sorry.

Edit: i have to add, games being released on cartridges/ compact discs back in the day were in hindsight a complete nightmare. You got the game, warts and all and that was that. On balance, i think we live in a better, more privileged era.

*perfect, being a totally subjective assessment, of course.

 

[juanffy18]

Kaz silhouette next weekend? This week we need the full or more info about the DLC and Spec 3.

 

[hawkeyez]

I don't understand this logic. So, you would rather they delayed the game until it was 'perfect'* and then, in the off chance there was an unforeseen issue, not release any patches or updates after the fact?

At some point one has to admit the reality of the industry as it is in 2025. Game development is by and large a very risky endeavor, with huge costs, many moving parts and lots of unpredictability. Coupled with feverish demand from the public, and publishers/backers who want to see a return on their investments yesterday, your optimistic scenario is a distant pipe dream. Sorry.

Edit: i have to add, games being released on cartridges/ compact discs back in the day were in hindsight a complete nightmare. You got the game, warts and all and that was that. On balance, i think we live in a better, more privileged era.

*perfect, being a totally subjective assessment, of course.

Not saying go back to cartridge days. They can update things they missed or fix glitches etc but I’d be fine getting the fully completed game right off the bat as opposed to released and then continually updating.

Look at all the physics updates, it was borderline annoying everytime they messed with the physics and PP would change on all your cars, you wouldn’t see the PP change until you hopped in it. Super frustrating.

I bought GT5 late in its life cycle and there was maybe 1 update after I bought it, way better experience. What you see is what you get. Everything is in good working order.

 

[05XR8]

Imagine GT Sport releases in 2017. Then, ten years later GT7 in 2027(because GT7 release for 2022 wouldn’t be perfect since Kaz would have wanted to add everything we’ve gotten in the Free Updates and paid DLC for the past 3.5 years and then some), for the 30th Anniversary.

PS4s and PS4 Pros would be looking like this:

Imagine the rage players would have if they then had to buy the PS5 because GT 30th Anniversary is PS5 exclusive. …and and then… and then… a next new console would be coming out right around the bend. I’d say that’s bit too long.

 

[tonidavid5]

Two apples plus two pears do not make five bananas...

 

[Haitauer]

Far from it.

GT is the result of important choices within the production triangle. You have TIME, QUALITY, and MONEY. Often people say "pick two" but it's more about balance. You balance based on priority. With GT, they place QUALITY at the top. A high quality experience, for as many people as possible.

People on this forum talk about the minutia of choices (like "can I move the mirror"). It's simply not on the radar. That TIME will be spent on other features that have the most impact for the most people.

Also, and this is an important component to any discussion with products from Japan, since the 1990 Nikkei collapse Japan has been in recovery mode with limited investment. We talk about inflation since the pandemic, but Japan's consumer prices have been in a relative flatline since 1998. In other words, the 1990 Nikkei collapse (and it preceding bubble) was so bad that Japan still hasn't recovered. MONEY becomes tighter with each passing year, which is why the Japanese try to get as much mileage out of assets a they can (hence why GT has so many cars that are reused/reworked since GT5). This is also why Nintendo uses last gen hardware for their most current consoles. Look at Japanese products across the board, innovation has been replaced by repurposing. They've been coasting for decades through necessity. (BTW, I attached the SPI charts for Japan, the US, and the UK so you can see the stark contrast)

And yet, Sony and PD still deliver one of the best all around driving games in history.

I feel like everyone keeps forgetting how far along we are with GT7 - It's 3.5 years. The gap between GT7 and GT8 looks like it will be the longest gap between titles in the history of the franchise. The Power Pack is very much in place to fill the gap. People think there will be more "paid content". I disagree. I believe we will see more Power Pack content. I expect that future updates will expand upon the Power Pack, essentially making it GT 7.5. Rather than making more paid content, they'll drive more people to the Power Pack.

Don't forget a PS5 exclusive DLC also fills the gap between PS4 GT7 and PS5 exclusive GT8. The player base is not quite ready to move totally to PS5, so this is kind of the drift between the generations.

 

[Gingerale]

To me it makes no sense to release a game and then continue to work on after the fact.

Can you name 1 single game which has been released and then never to be worked on again (that is, coming from the era where devs can patch things).

 

[Scaff]

And yet, Sony and PD still deliver one of the best all around driving games in history.

That depends entirely how you define 'best' and what qualities you apply to rank or rate that.

For you, it provides the best in terms of an all around product, for me (and I suspect many others), it falls well short of that line.

In my view, GT7 is one of the best-looking titles around, but it is far too unfocused and lacking in what are (for me) basic features, unfocused (but huge) car list, an unengaging driving model, and below-par FFB.

 

[SimTourist]

Im not convinced any of the updates were free in the first place. They talk about how long it takes to scan cars and tracks. I think in a way it was all content that was started but just not finished in time for release. It makes sense to release that as “free”.

We all bought the game. If the game didn’t have the updates it would have fallen quite short of what a lot of people expected from it.

Not sure DLC is funding any “free” content. But as I said that free content could very well have just been held back in the first place.

To me it makes no sense to release a game and then continue to work on after the fact. Why not throw it all at the game and then release it and move on? I might be missing something there but to sell a product and then have to continually cater to your customers in a way doing warranty work continually seems odd. Better off just doing the job right in the first place no?

The car and track teams keep working all the time, there isn't really a "done" state for them, there's always more cars and tracks for them to do, and this type of content is modular enough that it can slide into the existing game without breaking everything. They're scanning cars and tracks right now that we won't see until maybe 5-10 years later. They could of course hold back all the extra cars and tracks for the next game, but maybe they don't see any value in that, they want to get it into players hands as soon as possible instead of keeping it in the vault until GT8. The workers are probably happy that people get to see their work sooner.

 

[Gingerale]

They could of course hold back all the extra cars and tracks for the next game, but maybe they don't see any value in that, they want to get it into players hands as soon as possible instead of keeping it in the vault until GT8. The workers are probably happy that people get to see their work sooner.

With the state of this community, I truly believe people would be more pissed if GT8 didn't have any new track or just a few whilst already getting them direct in GT7 than the other way around. Its weird man.

 

[Nakano219]

That depends entirely how you define 'best' and what qualities you apply to rank or rate that.

For you, it provides the best in terms of an all around product, for me (and I suspect many others), it falls well short of that line.

In my view, GT7 is one of the best-looking titles around, but it is far too unfocused and lacking in what are (for me) basic features, unfocused (but huge) car list, an unengaging driving model, and below-par FFB.

I think PD/GT are somewhat flattered by it being an older game now, so the memory of the launch state of Fishermans Ranch grinding and the update that bricked the game are hazier at this point.

Because let's be honest, when was the last time a sim racing game came out to a positive launch reception? FM was incredibly buggy on PC and everyone hated the upgrade mechanics. AC EVO (unfairly to it, admittedly) was being hyped like the full game was coming out in January, and then there was mass disappointment when it was barely even Early Access material, and also made the mistake of putting dates on their roadmap so everyone complains they are late with everything. LMU had bad press from releasing paid DLC in Early Access, and then decided any kind of singleplayer campaign wasn't good enough for full release. Rennsport was, well, Rennsport. And now Project Motor Racing seems to be about to get excoriated if the previews are any indication.

Fair or not, first impressions stick around, and the sim racing genre as a whole has been terrible at first impressions this decade. Shout out to AC Rally though, that might be the one that changes that though it's early.

 

[SimTourist]

I think PD/GT are somewhat flattered by it being an older game now, so the memory of the launch state of Fishermans Ranch grinding and the update that bricked the game are hazier at this point.

Because let's be honest, when was the last time a sim racing game came out to a positive launch reception? FM was incredibly buggy on PC and everyone hated the upgrade mechanics. AC EVO (unfairly to it, admittedly) was being hyped like the full game was coming out in January, and then there was mass disappointment when it was barely even Early Access material, and also made the mistake of putting dates on their roadmap so everyone complains they are late with everything. LMU had bad press from releasing paid DLC in Early Access, and then decided any kind of singleplayer campaign wasn't good enough for full release. Rennsport was, well, Rennsport. And now Project Motor Racing seems to be about to get excoriated if the previews are any indication.

Fair or not, first impressions stick around, and the sim racing genre as a whole has been terrible at first impressions this decade. Shout out to AC Rally though, that might be the one that changes that though it's early.

Honestly yeah western devs seem to be struggling a lot these days even with most basic things, a lot of turnover, brain drain, people retiring, relying too much on middleware and outsourcing, it's a mess. I still feel like GT is the most polished and consistent simracer on the market with very high production values, PD is generally the same team as ever, a lot of veterans that have been around since GT 1 and know the engine and tech like the back of their hand, while there are issues and annoyances here and there, overall it's miles ahead of competition in overall quality.

 

[gigio79]

Gt7 is the only racing game that never asked paid DLC during its long life. It's not right to complain? Don't like? Don't buy it.

 

[M Stark]

an unengaging driving model

This is a pretty huge criticism. Could you elaborate?

 

[Ryan81]

Why are people complaining so much about having to pay for the Power Pack? We've had nearly 4 years of free updates. I would gladly pay for more DLC if it's forthcoming.
I really don't know which planet some gamers live on. Do they expect absolutely everything to be free???

 

[ZevZoq]

This is a pretty huge criticism. Could you elaborate?

yeah, afaic GT7 has the most engaging driving model of any console game I've played. By a pretty wide margin really...

 

[Ryan81]

That depends entirely how you define 'best' and what qualities you apply to rank or rate that.

For you, it provides the best in terms of an all around product, for me (and I suspect many others), it falls well short of that line.

In my view, GT7 is one of the best-looking titles around, but it is far too unfocused and lacking in what are (for me) basic features, unfocused (but huge) car list, an unengaging driving model, and below-par FFB.

What do you mean by "unengaging driving model?"

 

[Nebuc72]

yeah, afaic GT7 has the most engaging driving model of any console game I've played. By a pretty wide margin really...

Not like there's much competition is there?

For what it's worth I agree with him completely. The way the tyre model is currently set up leads to a fundamentally numb and unengaging driving model - the tyre is actively fighting entering the slip angle and as a result every car understeers in trying to avoid it.
The slip angle itself is miniscule, essentially an on-off switch where you either have grip, or you don't. There's almost no gradual sense of play in the tyre and is why almost every feeling of oversteer you get is the rear instantly kicking out and then instantly snapping back to gripping.

The tyre dominates the cars characteristics and really cuts down on any personality they have - a Viper ingame hardly lives up to its real reputation when the tyre itself is fighting against any slip. A LMP car will have the exact same forced understeer and snap traction loss as that Viper will because the tyre is forcing that behaviour.

There needs to be a lot more play and transition in the tyre model for it to feel engaging. The Michelin physics were a lot more accurate (and thus fun!) in that regard and so I'm hoping Dunlops also bring back some more sensible and engaging physics.

 

[GingerBredMan]

You’re still trying to turn a general statement about PD revenue into proof of a direct funding link that doesn’t exist. Pointing out that you originally hadn’t bought the game wasn’t “discrediting” you it was highlighting that you were making claims on which you hadn’t experienced. You’ve since corrected that, fine. It still doesn’t fix the flaw in your argument. That argument is that free updates aren’t free and the DLC is funding the free updates.

Yes, companies need money.
No, that doesn’t mean this DLC paid for this update.

You’re connecting two unrelated things because they launched on the same day, I’m done with you before you’re the cause of another thread to be locked due to your ridiculous application of logic.

Again most of this post is about me, not the topic.

Everytime someone complains about a lack of cars & tracks in the update threads, the answer is they're too expensive. So they've just added 2 F1 tracks, where do you think the money for that is coming from? This "direct funding link" comment is a bit of a joke, do you think PD has a separate bank account for it's content, as opposed to it's features?

When a company has a customer service department, that department is a cost. That doesn't mean that the customer service department has to generate revenue to account for their expense, other parts of the company make money to account for that.

I've stayed on topic, so I have nothing to worry about.

 

[Seikenfreak]

This is a pretty huge criticism. Could you elaborate?

Don't get him started I can hazard a guess tl;dr - he enjoys the PC sim stuff way more because the wheel vibrates and jerks more etc.

Some people (well everyone I guess) want and believe things to be a certain way. If you haven't been around racing games long, you'll be drowning in endless arguments soon enough.

Edit off-topic: (I don't know what it is about this forum/typing interface, but it does not like something about my bluetooth keyboard/android tablet. After a bit it just starts spamming words I've typed but added to the end and then I can't move the cursor around and stuff deletes and copies itself etc etc. Super bizarre. Then I can tab over to Discord and it works fine there. Only had an issue on this forum.)

 

[ZevZoq]

Not like there's much competition is there?

whether there is or isn't, the fact remains. I mean whatever issues one may have with the driving model...it's the best there is on the platform. You go on the iRacing forums and I bet people are complaining about the driving model. Perfection is hard to achieve.

 

[JDMKING13]

whether there is or isn't, the fact remains. I mean whatever issues one may have with the driving model...it's the best there is on the platform. You go on the iRacing forums and I bet people are complaining about the driving model. Perfection is hard to achieve.

Yeah the sim scene is a weird one man… It will never be perfect.. just enjoy the games for what they are worth…

 

[CodeRedR51]

Not like there's much competition is there?

For what it's worth I agree with him completely. The way the tyre model is currently set up leads to a fundamentally numb and unengaging driving model - the tyre is actively fighting entering the slip angle and as a result every car understeers in trying to avoid it.
The slip angle itself is miniscule, essentially an on-off switch where you either have grip, or you don't. There's almost no gradual sense of play in the tyre and is why almost every feeling of oversteer you get is the rear instantly kicking out and then instantly snapping back to gripping.

The tyre dominates the cars characteristics and really cuts down on any personality they have - a Viper ingame hardly lives up to its real reputation when the tyre itself is fighting against any slip. A LMP car will have the exact same forced understeer and snap traction loss as that Viper will because the tyre is forcing that behaviour.

There needs to be a lot more play and transition in the tyre model for it to feel engaging. The Michelin physics were a lot more accurate (and thus fun!) in that regard and so I'm hoping Dunlops also bring back some more sensible and engaging physics.

I've never noticed any "Michelin physics".

 

[Nebuc72]

I've never noticed any "Michelin physics".

Impressive, considering they advertised the new physics in the trailer and update notes when they added them to the game. It was a pretty big deal!

 

[hawkeyez]

Imagine GT Sport releases in 2017. Then, ten years later GT7 in 2027(because GT7 release for 2022 wouldn’t be perfect since Kaz would have wanted to add everything we’ve gotten in the Free Updates and paid DLC for the past 3.5 years and then some), for the 30th Anniversary.

PS4s and PS4 Pros would be looking like this:

Imagine the rage players would have if they then had to buy the PS5 because GT 30th Anniversary is PS5 exclusive. …and and then… and then… a next new console would be coming out right around the bend. I’d say that’s bit too long.

I’d say it is what it is. Gran Turismo wasn’t on my mind until I saw the trailers. People complain about the cartridges but I never really seemed to have much of a problem with the games. They were fun. Any sort of glitches or exploits just became part of the game, problem is, everything is online now, so that type of stuff has to be patched.

Can you name 1 single game which has been released and then never to be worked on again (that is, coming from the era where devs can patch things).

I remember the first modern warfare on my computer not getting a whole ton of updates if any? It’s that long ago I honestly can’t remember. I’m not saying don’t patch games, I’m saying don’t change the fundamentals of the game only fix the severely broken things you didn’t find in testing.

The car and track teams keep working all the time, there isn't really a "done" state for them, there's always more cars and tracks for them to do, and this type of content is modular enough that it can slide into the existing game without breaking everything. They're scanning cars and tracks right now that we won't see until maybe 5-10 years later. They could of course hold back all the extra cars and tracks for the next game, but maybe they don't see any value in that, they want to get it into players hands as soon as possible instead of keeping it in the vault until GT8. The workers are probably happy that people get to see their work sooner.

This makes sense to me, thanks for the explanation. Although the one thing that doesn’t make sense is why some cars disappeared from another game. I faintly remember maybe the Alfa carrazzato being dropped from GT6 while being in GT5. Might not be that car, my memory isn’t great, but it was a premium car in GT5 and it was gone for GT6.

Why are people complaining so much about having to pay for the Power Pack? We've had nearly 4 years of free updates. I would gladly pay for more DLC if it's forthcoming.
I really don't know which planet some gamers live on. Do they expect absolutely everything to be free???

I don’t expect everything for free, I’m actually all for DLC, if it’s good. It’s very odd to me that it’s single player content and better AI. I think people feel like they’re being charged for what should have been in the game in the first place. Obviously most people complaining about having to pay, own PS5’s. So they must feel like they’re being charged weren’t sold a finished game in the first place.

I just hope it’s cheaper than $20. I may or may not buy it, the races aren’t going to sell it for me. If Sophy 3.0 can make it into online lobby races I would buy it for sure just to fill out an empty lobby until others join. And depending on how it works with custom races, but that’ll I’ll wait to hear from the people that have been painstakingly taking the time to try and create good race experiences using that.

Maybe it’s hard for people to understand and I’ve been told PD simply cannot do this, but if they came out with a pack of Group 5 cars say six cars and charged $10 for it. I’d buy it and I wouldn’t complain. Reason? Most of the update free content to me feels like getting one car I’ll drive if I’m lucky since most of it isn’t the stuff I’m into.

Tracks, I really just wish they’d start dropping a bunch of old original tracks. I’d pay $10 for a dlc of 3 original tracks from previous games if that’s what it took.

Paying for mission type races and better Ai when the PS4 is kind of the reason the AI isn’t great feels a bit odd.

 

[Nattefrost]

Im not convinced any of the updates were free in the first place. They talk about how long it takes to scan cars and tracks. I think in a way it was all content that was started but just not finished in time for release. It makes sense to release that as “free”.

We all bought the game. If the game didn’t have the updates it would have fallen quite short of what a lot of people expected from it.

Not sure DLC is funding any “free” content. But as I said that free content could very well have just been held back in the first place.

To me it makes no sense to release a game and then continue to work on after the fact. Why not throw it all at the game and then release it and move on? I might be missing something there but to sell a product and then have to continually cater to your customers in a way doing warranty work continually seems odd. Better off just doing the job right in the first place no?

At some point in a game's development, a decision has to be made that enough is enough and this is the content the game releases with. Everything that comes after should not be considered as "warranty work" (unless they're bug fixes or performance improvements rather than content), but additional content that they could've asked money for or withheld until the release of the next game.

It is absolutely free content from our point of view. I really don't get the mental gymnastics going on in this thread to somehow discredit that notion.

 

[benjoi84]

@hawkeyez

You're experiencing selective memory regarding the AI from previous games if you think that "it's because of the PS4 that the AI is bad". GT7, and thus the implementation of SOPHY was designed to be PS5-only so there can be no complaints there. It's the best AI Gran Turismo has ever had.

I’m saying don’t change the fundamentals of the game only fix the severely broken things you didn’t find in testing.

Problem here is that what one player thinks is severely broken could be inconsequential to the next.

 

[hawkeyez]

At some point in a game's development, a decision has to be made that enough is enough and this is the content the game releases with. Everything that comes after should not be considered as "warranty work" (unless they're bug fixes or performance improvements rather than content), but additional content that they could've asked money for or withheld until the release of the next game.

It is absolutely free content from our point of view. I really don't get the mental gymnastics going on in this thread to somehow discredit that notion.

Fair enough. I remember call of duty having DLC, people in here say it was a bad model and it backfired on them. I usually used to buy it and never had a problem with that. I even looked forward to it. It felt like it was a lot of new maps and zombies content.

Now that game updates for free and constantly to the point it’s annoying. It’s riddled with more skins and garbage like that then game content haha.

It’s been pointed out they’re constantly scanning cars and putting them out there instead of holding them back. In a way they aren’t free then. These cars were always intended to be in the game but they just arrive when they arrive. We paid for the full game in advance instead of a discounted price and we get delivered what the full game was intended to be drip fed to us.

Like that one gps track making feature in GT6 they announced. That was a main selling feature for me, I never saw it I expected it on day one not however long it took to show up. I had moved on from the game. Apparently it did eventually make it to the game but a lot of other better racing games already released. Point being, you pay full price but you get the full game after the fact. Like buying a car and you bought the Air Conditioning option but it will simply unlock a year later.

It's the best AI Gran Turismo has ever had.

I agree 100%. It’s the best Gran Turismo has ever had. Still doesn’t make it good.

 

[juanffy18]

Gt7 is the only racing game that never asked paid DLC during its long life. It's not right to complain? Don't like? Don't buy it.

That’s true. For example PMR has paid DLC available before launch, and apparently no one complains about it.

 

[ZevZoq]

Fair enough. I remember call of duty having DLC, people in here say it was a bad model and it backfired on them. I usually used to buy it and never had a problem with that. I even looked forward to it. It felt like it was a lot of new maps and zombies content.

Now that game updates for free and constantly to the point it’s annoying. It’s riddled with more skins and garbage like that then game content haha.

It’s been pointed out they’re constantly scanning cars and putting them out there instead of holding them back. In a way they aren’t free then. These cars were always intended to be in the game but they just arrive when they arrive. We paid for the full game in advance instead of a discounted price and we get delivered what the full game was intended to be drip fed to us.

Are you saying the game should have released with every car that could have possibly been scanned included? I don't understand your reasoning...there's always going to be more cars to scan...the game could have released with the 500 or so cars that were available then and just kept it that way I guess. Would that have been better?

Like that one gps track making feature in GT6 they announced. That was a main selling feature for me, I never saw it I expected it on day one not however long it took to show up. I had moved on from the game. Apparently it did eventually make it to the game but a lot of other better racing games already released. Point being, you pay full price but you get the full game after the fact. Like buying a car and you bought the Air Conditioning option but it will simply unlock a year later.

I agree 100%. It’s the best Gran Turismo has ever had. Still doesn’t make it good.

Nobody is forced to buy a game on release day. We can wait a day or two and learn that the feature we considered the main selling feature isn't actually in the game yet and choose not to buy for that reason.