Gran Turismo 7: Latest news and discussion thread

[RACECAR]

It's premature to think Sony are rolling back from Live Service games given Helldivers 2 is currently the most popular game on Steam (and presumably PS5).

Problem is, that's one game out of god knows how many as of late who have absolutely tried and failed at Live service (Marvel's Avengers still fresh in my mind as one of the biggest and best examples). I wouldn't exactly say this game's success is a ringing endorsement so much as a rare instance where someone actually took the time to make it work rather than brute force it on everyone and expect customers to just take (which is what has been happening with so many titles before). I don't exactly have too much faith in the industry having more hits like this but at the same time despite my attempts at trying not to be cynical, I don't have much faith in the industry to begin with given what I've witnessed the past few years and continue to witness ("Layoffs" or "shutting down" being a word I sadly am hearing far too often).

 

[05XR8]

I'm quite confident it was the opposite - you could only buy cars priced at or below two million credits with real money.

The DB3 S in GT sport could be bought for around $15AUD. That car was about ten to fifteen million credits.

 

[Yard_Sale]

The most interesting story from Sony's very mixed financials is the interim PlayStation boss, Hiroki Totoki's, damning comments on the management and financial savviness (or lack of it!) from their 1st Party studios. To sum up, while he respects them as creatives, they spend money like it's going out of fashion, and don't understand the part they play in the companies wider financial health:

On the earnings call, Sony management said the aim for its gaming business is to "optimize sales with a greater emphasis on the balance with profits."

Speaking on a recent earnings call, he seems happy with PlayStation's first-party teams, but has some concerns about the business side of things.

In meeting with management teams and visiting the studios themselves, Totoki says "everyone is working really hard to fulfill their responsibility to try to optimise the business", but feels there's a lack of understanding about "overall growth and sustainable profitability or increasing margin". He says that's SIE's main problem.

"I try to understand what is happening in the company, in the industry, and also in the perspective of the analysts, and try to explain in a transparent manner so that people can recognise and notice these issues so that we can have a harmonised approach going forward," Totoki says. He further comments that the studios and the people within them are "very highly motivated" with "great creative minds", but that there's "room for improvement" when it comes to the business itself. "And that's got to do about how to use the money or about the schedule of development or how to fulfill one's accountability towards development, et cetera."

While PD are, by all accounts, one of the smaller major studios, and deliver titles that are A/ system sellers and B/ have long sales legs, there are a couple of areas we could see change:

1/ A new PS5/PS5 Pro SKU of GT7 to take full advantage of the hardware and maximise revenue. Possibly an upgrade option for existing owners.

2/ Paid DLC, be they car packs, tracks, or something like the Hamilton Time Trial, to have a post sale revenue stream.

3/ A PC release for GT7 seems inevitable at this point and the most obvious way to increase the player-base and maximise revenue.

4/ GTWS events are lavish affairs and no doubt costly. I can see pressure being applied to increase viewership numbers and demonstrate these events improve the bottom line, ie increase Gran Turismo sales. If they don't make financial sense I can see them becoming online only with separate press events when needed.

Sony to release a 'Pro' version of the PlayStation 5 this year after cutting outlook, analysts say

Analysts told CNBC they expect Sony to launch the PlayStation 5 Pro this year which would offer new hardware for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI in 2025.

www.cnbc.com

PlayStation Chairman: There's Room for Improvement When It Comes to Business

Praises "highly motivated" studios

www.pushsquare.com

Not knowing a whole lot about anything..


But the “somewhat costly” expenditure of PD doing the live GTWS events, serves the very vital function of being both a Advertising opportunity, as well as “loosely” being considered charitable by means of flying and housing contestants around the world for events (…but in all honesty, they probably just earmark this expenditure under ‘promotion and advertising’…to be able to include the in-house employee travel costs into the equation)


Regardless, these are big tax right offs for them as a company

 

[Vitesh Patel]

I really hope that a PS5 Pro will fix all the frame drops and stutters when it comes to GT7.

I have less hope that the increased horsepower will motivate them to update how it runs on PSVR2 - I understand that it has received a single update since it was added. I have yet to try it, PSVR1 made me quite sick and I don't need to risk spending £500 on the hopes that this one doesn't, especially when it hasn't received quality of life features that players want.

It must be nice to live in the PD bubble, where all the critique never makes it to you. Ignorance is bliss as they say...

 

[Obelisk]

It's interesting from a game design perspective, because on paper GT7 actually has a use somewhere for almost every car in the game. The only things that aren't usable in the café are things that can't get to 950PP for the Gr.1 Prototype events (basically just the Chaparral VGT, the 2 spicier Tomahawks, and the X2014) and any electric race cars that can't enter the VGT races (the ID.R zone, because the battery can't last to be competitive in any of the events it can enter.).

But because all the events tend to only restrict by PP and maybe one other criteria (usually continent or drivetrain), it feels like a ton of cars don't have any use, because while there's almost always something they can do, for a lot of them there's not a lot they need to do since a lot of the events have such all-encompassing entry requirements.

I think they've realised this though, which is why we got special events and now the Jimny Cup to start giving cars more reason to be used in the café.

2X can enter the 950PP event. It can be equipped with a power restrictor and detuned to somewhere in the low 900s.

 

[Ande3200]

I really hope that a PS5 Pro will fix all the frame drops and stutters when it comes to GT7.

I have less hope that the increased horsepower will motivate them to update how it runs on PSVR2 - I understand that it has received a single update since it was added. I have yet to try it, PSVR1 made me quite sick and I don't need to risk spending £500 on the hopes that this one doesn't, especially when it hasn't received quality of life features that players want.

It must be nice to live in the PD bubble, where all the critique never makes it to you. Ignorance is bliss as they say...

I never played much vr before psvr2 with gt7, and first time i got a bit motionsick but after that i was fine, it can take some time to get the vrlegs, i would say gt7 looks incrediable in vr looks like you are really in the car, i am not to bothered with more hud as i always turn that off anyway, and combine that With incrediable vr showroom to have truly immersive experince.

 

[Raf997]

It's premature to think Sony are rolling back from Live Service games given Helldivers 2 is currently the most popular game on Steam (and presumably PS5). A Live Service Gran Turismo is not something to be fearful of, it could hugely benefit the series. Once the base game is on store shelves it makes sense to continue adding content, running seasonal competitions, adding new events, cosmetics and so on. Not all that dissimilar to what's happening with GT7. The difference being monetisation which, you would hope, would fund substantial and timely updates.

I can't be too upset at PD rationing free GT7 DLC 2 years into the games life cycle. Any Live Service changes would likely arrive with GT8, although, as mentioned above, I wouldn't rule out another edition of GT7 for PS5/PS5 Pro. Plans are likely to be fluid with numerous routes open for PD and Sony.

I see another 1-2 years of constant live service support for GT7, and to be honest, I'd see a PS5 next-gen update as quite likely at this point in order to force the transition between the PS4 and PS5 completely, and in this way allowing the sales and revenues to increase substantially. GT8 won't be out before 2026-2027 anyway, so they still have plenty of time to fill the gaps.

 

[Nakano219]

The most interesting story from Sony's very mixed financials is the interim PlayStation boss, Hiroki Totoki's, damning comments on the management and financial savviness (or lack of it!) from their 1st Party studios. To sum up, while he respects them as creatives, they spend money like it's going out of fashion, and don't understand the part they play in the companies wider financial health:

On the earnings call, Sony management said the aim for its gaming business is to "optimize sales with a greater emphasis on the balance with profits."

Speaking on a recent earnings call, he seems happy with PlayStation's first-party teams, but has some concerns about the business side of things.

In meeting with management teams and visiting the studios themselves, Totoki says "everyone is working really hard to fulfill their responsibility to try to optimise the business", but feels there's a lack of understanding about "overall growth and sustainable profitability or increasing margin". He says that's SIE's main problem.

"I try to understand what is happening in the company, in the industry, and also in the perspective of the analysts, and try to explain in a transparent manner so that people can recognise and notice these issues so that we can have a harmonised approach going forward," Totoki says. He further comments that the studios and the people within them are "very highly motivated" with "great creative minds", but that there's "room for improvement" when it comes to the business itself. "And that's got to do about how to use the money or about the schedule of development or how to fulfill one's accountability towards development, et cetera."

While PD are, by all accounts, one of the smaller major studios, and deliver titles that are A/ system sellers and B/ have long sales legs, there are a couple of areas we could see change:

1/ A new PS5/PS5 Pro SKU of GT7 to take full advantage of the hardware and maximise revenue. Possibly an upgrade option for existing owners.

2/ Paid DLC, be they car packs, tracks, or something like the Hamilton Time Trial, to have a post sale revenue stream.

3/ A PC release for GT7 seems inevitable at this point and the most obvious way to increase the player-base and maximise revenue.

4/ GTWS events are lavish affairs and no doubt costly. I can see pressure being applied to increase viewership numbers and demonstrate these events improve the bottom line, ie increase Gran Turismo sales. If they don't make financial sense I can see them becoming online only with separate press events when needed.

Sony to release a 'Pro' version of the PlayStation 5 this year after cutting outlook, analysts say

Analysts told CNBC they expect Sony to launch the PlayStation 5 Pro this year which would offer new hardware for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI in 2025.

www.cnbc.com

PlayStation Chairman: There's Room for Improvement When It Comes to Business

Praises "highly motivated" studios

www.pushsquare.com

It's worth noting that Sony have put out the official translations of the financial report now, and a lot of the comments people thought were about PS Studios/SIE as a whole in the initial translation turned out to be specifically about Bungie in particular following their recent big acquisition.

That's not to say they won't look at monetisation across the studios going forward given the state of the industry, but I think it's important context.

 

[Bojador]

I may be in the minority and I understand paid dlc splits the player base, but I would pay for dlc if that meant substantial regular updates. Doesn't have to be monthly. Quarterly like iRacing does would be great.

 

[GlamFM]

I keep thinking about what a season pass or post release monetization for GT could look like.

I got to think that not splitting the playerbase must be a priority. So cars or even tracks are certainly out.

The only things I can come up with:


1. Cosmetics which they can't really tap into because the livery editor is a thing and certainly (hopefully) here to stay.

2. Single player events.


As crazy as it sounds - I would probably actually pay for the latter.

 

[Batschisane52]

I may be in the minority and I understand paid dlc splits the player base, but I would pay for dlc if that meant substantial regular updates. Doesn't have to be monthly. Quarterly like iRacing does would be great.

I would be willing to pay for DLCs if the provide more pre 1990ies cars and some classic and lost race tracks of the past...
I wouldn't be willing to pay a cent for cars and tracks from the 2000s...

 

[Ande3200]

I keep thinking about what a season pass or post release monetization for GT could look like.

I got to think that not splitting the playerbase must be a priority. So cars or even tracks are certainly out.

The only things I can come up with:


1. Cosmetics which they can't really tap into because the livery editor is a thing and certainly (hopefully) here to stay.

2. Single player events.


As crazy as it sounds - I would probably actually pay for the latter.

I agree

 

[LammersXJR]

1. Cosmetics which they can't really tap into because the livery editor is a thing and certainly (hopefully) here to stay.

My thoughts on cosmetics are additions like official bodykits, wheels, interior gauges, seats, steering wheels etc. Many of these will need to be licensed and monetising will help.

Doesn’t fundamentally change the game or give people an unfair advantage. But would be a valuable addition for those who build and customise cars. I’d personally spend a fortune on these!

On the content front I’d try to keep tracks free for multiplayer use. Although there’s an argument locations like Pikes Peak and Goodwood Hillclimb are single-player focused.

BTW, there’s an interesting article just been published about Forza Motorsports troubled development. Delves into the issues surrounding contracting out development. We complain about PD but having a (relatively) small in-house team can be beneficial.

Forza Motorsport Developer Shares 'Exhausting' Experience Making the Game

Microsoft's long-reported insistence on contract hires took its toll on the rebooted racing sim's development, according to one artist.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Porsche_Racer]

It was truly beautiful experience I even asked the guys that work there do they know anything about guys coming and scanning and taking picrures of the car but sadly they said they didn't noticed anything unordinary...

LUCKY! That must have been a great experience.

Has anyone else who did the last Manufacturers season still have their affiliation logo in the info bar in Sport Mode? I could swear I still had the Mazda logo yesterday but it's not there today.

Yes,mine was there,AMG.

 

[OldandSlow]

My thoughts on cosmetics are additions like official bodykits, wheels, interior gauges, seats, steering wheels etc. Many of these will need to be licensed and monetising will help.

Doesn’t fundamentally change the game or give people an unfair advantage. But would be a valuable addition for those who build and customise cars. I’d personally spend a fortune on these!

On the content front I’d try to keep tracks free for multiplayer use. Although there’s an argument locations like Pikes Peak and Goodwood Hillclimb are single-player focused.

BTW, there’s an interesting article just been published about Forza Motorsports troubled development. Delves into the issues surrounding contracting out development. We complain about PD but having a (relatively) small in-house team can be beneficial.

Forza Motorsport Developer Shares 'Exhausting' Experience Making the Game

Microsoft's long-reported insistence on contract hires took its toll on the rebooted racing sim's development, according to one artist.

www.thedrive.com

Yeah, exhausting. Boo hoo.

Now this is exhausting:

 

[Nebuc72]

Yeah, exhausting. Boo hoo.

Now this is exhausting:

View attachment 1330226

Yes I cannot possibly imagine how a lack of long term job security and a constant reshuffling of personal expectations or tasks as well as no permanence in coworkers makes for a mentally exhausting work environment.

 

[atfmarko]

why do people who post errors get messages from Sony it will be fixed 14 March?
I am starting to think they forgot february bvlgari release 🤣🤣🤣...
could they skip their words and give march update? without february

 

[Porsche_Racer]

Yes I cannot possibly imagine how a lack of long term job security and a constant reshuffling of personal expectations or tasks as well as no permanence in coworkers makes for a mentally exhausting work environment.

lol. My uncle does that. Although that was not taken this year,Minnesota got little to none snowfall at all. Yea we got like 3 minor things,but no blizzard.

 

[MIE1992]

I keep thinking about what a season pass or post release monetization for GT could look like.

I got to think that not splitting the playerbase must be a priority. So cars or even tracks are certainly out.

The only things I can come up with:


1. Cosmetics which they can't really tap into because the livery editor is a thing and certainly (hopefully) here to stay.

2. Single player events.


As crazy as it sounds - I would probably actually pay for the latter.

But that's exactly what happened with GT Sport, with the Lewis Hamilton time trials, and I'd totally be down for doing something similar. I honestly wouldn't even mind the Pikes Peak hillclimb being a paid event where you race a series of cars up the course to beat a certain time. Some cars seem like obvious picks, too, like the Volkswagen ID.R, the Suzuki Escudo, and the Audi Sport Quattro that made the cut from GT6. It's not like you could put the Pikes Peak hillclimb (or any hillclimb) into a Sport Mode race or something. Plus there was that Peugeot 208 T16 that I could've sworn was coming to the series at some point.

 

[Ande3200]

My thoughts on cosmetics are additions like official bodykits, wheels, interior gauges, seats, steering wheels etc. Many of these will need to be licensed and monetising will help.

Doesn’t fundamentally change the game or give people an unfair advantage. But would be a valuable addition for those who build and customise cars. I’d personally spend a fortune on these!

On the content front I’d try to keep tracks free for multiplayer use. Although there’s an argument locations like Pikes Peak and Goodwood Hillclimb are single-player focused.

BTW, there’s an interesting article just been published about Forza Motorsports troubled development. Delves into the issues surrounding contracting out development. We complain about PD but having a (relatively) small in-house team can be beneficial.

Forza Motorsport Developer Shares 'Exhausting' Experience Making the Game

Microsoft's long-reported insistence on contract hires took its toll on the rebooted racing sim's development, according to one artist.

www.thedrive.com

Thats really sad to hear, i watched the youtube video it dont looks like you can work under good conditions at all at turn 10, even while it was 6 year gap if people had to work like that its not strange it turn out like it did,
Firing people while in project is not a good idea,

 

[Islaygaz]

why do people who post errors get messages from Sony it will be fixed 14 March?
I am starting to think they forgot february bvlgari release 🤣🤣🤣...
could they skip their words and give march update? without february

But the Bvlgari is already on game so probably won’t need an update to add it to BC. Much like the Ferrari VGT

 

[Ande3200]

But the Bvlgari is already on game so probably won’t need an update to add it to BC. Much like the Ferrari VGT

If you look back at september update last year when Toyota gr corolla was added into brand central it come along with 3 another cars in that update, same could happen here

 

[Stephan]

why do people who post errors get messages from Sony it will be fixed 14 March?

Out of curiosity where did you find these messages?

Edit: Guess that is debunked since the next set of Weekly Challenges will be released on March 8 so that might be the date of the next update.

 

[PuffelPizza]

If all goes as planned, we might get the silhouettes this week.

 

[Raf997]

If all goes as planned, we might get the silhouettes this week.

I'm expecting an anniversary update, with a good bunch of stuff... If not, it will be delayed for March.

 

[Bojador]

I'm expecting an anniversary update, with a good bunch of stuff... If not, it will be delayed for March.

I didn't realise the game's anniversary was coming up. Let's hope it's a good one. 👍

 

[KAlex122]

Any idea which Gr.4 cars perform best and worst at 600PP? Thanks!

 

[Raf997]

I didn't realise the game's anniversary was coming up. Let's hope it's a good one. 👍

Yes, the game is turning 2 full years on early March

 

[Islaygaz]

I'm expecting an anniversary update, with a good bunch of stuff... If not, it will be delayed for March.

Well the Gran Turismo 25th Anniversary update was awesome so you never know! 🤣

 

[Raf997]

Well the Gran Turismo 25th Anniversary update was awesome so you never know! 🤣

I predict some cars and a new track. Maybe updated Sophy, B-spec and new endurance missions?