Focusing on making "GT7" even better: An interview with "Gran Turismo" creator Kazunori Yamauchi
12月4日に大型アップデート「Spec III」と有料DLC「パワーパック」が配信されたばかりの「グランツーリスモ７」。特に「パワーパック」はシリーズ初の“リアルレーシング”ということもあり、既に多くの「GT7」プレーヤーがレースに挑んでいることだろう。
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[Gran Turismo World Series 2025 World Final - Fukuoka]
Event period: December 20th - December 21st
Venue: Fukuoka International Congress Center Main Hall + Multipurpose Hall
Gran Turismo 7 just released its major update, "Spec III," and paid DLC, "Power Pack," on December 4th. The Power Pack, in particular, is the series' first "real racing" feature, and many GT7 players are likely already taking part in the races.
We had the opportunity to interview Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of the Gran Turismo series, in Fukuoka, where the world championship, the Gran Turismo World Series 2025 World Final, is being held. We asked him about the Spec III, the Power Pack, and the world championship, and we will share the details of the interview in this article.
For now, the focus will be on making GT7 even better.
--The first Gran Turismo was released on December 23, 1997, and it will soon be 28 years since then. Looking back over these past 28 years, please tell us how you feel now.
Yamauchi: Gran Turismo 7 is updated every month, and we've had two major updates: Spec II in November 2023 and now Spec III. I'm very grateful to be able to continue making Gran Turismo.
And while Gran Turismo may seem unchanged, it has actually been doing quite a few new things. I feel very happy that even though we are doing such challenging things, our users are still accepting them.
-- Please tell us about the aim of the paid DLC "Power Pack" released on December 4th, and your upcoming efforts leading up to the 30th anniversary.
Yamauchi: It's been a while since GT7 was released, but it continues to sell at full price. Monthly active users are also at the 2 million level, so it hasn't gotten old at all.
So when we decided to do "Spec III," we wanted to add a proper race to the world of "Gran Turismo." There would be practice, qualifying, and a final race, and you couldn't drop out midway through, and there would be a participation fee. Rather than changing "Gran Turismo," we wanted to add a portion of that, so we created the "Power Pack."
As we approach the 30th anniversary, we've been attracting new users with the release of "Spec III" and "Power Pack," and our loyal users have been playing for a long time, so for the time being we're focusing on making "GT7" even better.
--The data logger that was implemented in the previous game, Gran Turismo 6, has been brought back in Spec III, but is there a reason why it took so long to implement it in GT7?
Yamauchi: There's no particular reason why it took so long, but when we wanted to perfectly recreate a real race with the Power Pack, we thought, "If that's the case, we'd also like a data logger," so we added it.
--This time, Dunlop is the first Japanese manufacturer to join as a tire partner. Please tell us your thoughts on this collaboration and the possibility of future collaboration.
Yamauchi: Dunlop's enthusiasm for Gran Turismo led to this partnership. We have always had an interest in tire technology, and we are very interested in taking the time to truly evolve the realism of Gran Turismo to the level of physical simulation.
- The Gilles Villeneuve Circuit and Yas Marina Circuit, which were added in Spec III, are famous as F1 venues, but are there any plans to add F1-related content in the future?
Yamauchi: I don't think we can say that it doesn't exist.
--Yamauchi 's former favorite car, the FTO, has been added to this "Spec III." What was your intention in adding such a nostalgic car?
Yamauchi: The FTO was one of the hero cars in the original Gran Turismo. It was a youthful mistake for us when we were still young, so I was happy if the car I drove was included (laughs). That feeling hasn't changed even now.
We receive a lot of feedback from players every day, with many saying things like "Add this car" or "Add that car." Car requests are widely distributed, and for example, when we add the "Hiace" for Japanese users, European users say "Why did you add it?" However, there are always users, and requests from all over the world are combined to create the "Gran Turismo" we know today.
-- I'd like to ask about the use of AI. The latest version of the AI driver, "GT Sophie 3.0," has been introduced in "Power Pack." Please tell us your thoughts on AI and how you plan to use it in the future.
Yamauchi: When I spoke to the drivers competing in the GTWS, they were already using AI. They said they were feeding the footage of their time trials directly into the AI and getting driving advice, such as "If you do this in this corner, you'll get a better time," and they were getting advice they wouldn't even realize they were getting.
I personally believe that AI is a very effective tool, and that its effectiveness really depends on the person using it. However, I'm not an AI expert, so I can't predict the future of AI (laughs).
It feels like I'm raising dozens of children. About the Global Tournament "GTWS"
--The final of the Gran Turismo World Series was held in Fukuoka this time. What was the atmosphere like at the venue and among the players?
Yamauchi: The weather is a little bad today (December 21st), but the weather was very nice until the morning of the first day. Fukuoka tends to get cold, especially at this time of year, so I'm really glad we were able to show you a nice, cool Fukuoka this time. When we brought a 1/1 scale Red Bull X2010 to our booth during the Fukuoka Motor Show, it was really cold (laughs). So I think everyone had a great experience this time.
Another thing was that there were a lot of Gran Turismo fans in the audience. I had a feeling there would be a lot of them in Tokyo, but I wasn't sure how many fans there would be in Kyushu until we actually held the event. Tickets were sold out, and I really felt the passion and love of the people of Kyushu and Fukuoka.
- Regarding watching the races, the visual evolution of "GT7" gives the impression of being almost the same as live action, but what do you think is the appeal and fun of watching races that is unique to digital games?
Yamauchi: First of all, the fundamental difference is that the driver is there and everyone can see him. In real motorsports, the driver is in the car wearing a helmet, so you can't see the driver's facial expressions or mood. That's the big difference.
Another example is the Yas Marina Circuit, where there are hundreds of cameras on the circuit, and each car is equipped with a camera. The high degree of freedom that allows us to flexibly switch between them is one of the attractions of digital technology.
--Drivers who started out in Gran Turismo, such as Igor Fraga and Rikki Kobayashi, are now doing well in real races. What do you think about this situation?
Yamauchi: I'm simply happy. I first met Igor when he was about 18 years old, during the first year of GTWS. At the time, he was struggling financially and unable to continue racing. He sent me a handwritten letter and told me he had won a competition and even become world champion. I was impressed by how young, smart, and hardworking he was.
Of course I'm happy that Igor won in Super Formula and became Rookie of the Year, but I also think it was inevitable and it's a shame that it took him a few years to achieve this for various reasons, but I'm really happy that he's on the verge of realizing his dream.
Of course, I'm also happy about Kobayashi's success. He's young, so I hope he continues to produce results and grow.
--This time there was also an autograph session with Yamauchi and the players. What were your thoughts when you saw the communication between the players and fans up close?
Yamauchi: Valerio Gallo was sitting next to me, and he and his teammates were really doing a great job of providing great fan service. As the history of GTWS continues to grow, I feel that not only are the drivers' driving skills improving, but their personal appeal is also improving.
Many of the world's top athletes are wonderful people, after all. It's great to be able to see them grow as they interact with the fans, and it feels like I'm raising dozens of children (laughs).
--This time the tournament was held in the regional city of Fukuoka, but would you like to hold the tournament in a Japanese city other than Tokyo or Fukuoka in the future?
Yamauchi: We have a Polyphony atelier in Fukuoka, and it's like a second home to us, so we already had a network with Fukuoka City and The Nishinippon Shimbun. So, at this point, I don't think it will be easy to hold the event in other cities.
However, if there is an opportunity, I would like to do it. Even in Japan, the culture differs from city to city, so I think it would be interesting to work with people from those different cultures.
-- The 2025 World Series will be held in London, Berlin, Los Angeles, and Fukuoka, and the 2026 season will kick off in Abu Dhabi. The tournament will be held in regions that have not been visited before, but what was the reason behind the selection of these host cities?
Yamauchi: Every year, we consider a number of potential locations and decide on the location for the following year. Abu Dhabi was chosen when the UAE ambassador contacted us one day and asked us to visit our studio. The ambassador is actually a Gran Turismo fan, and when I met members of the royal family in Abu Dhabi, I was surprised to see everyone, including their children, playing the game.
It's exciting in itself to have people from different cultures communicating with each other and working on projects together, so that's the significance of holding the event in various places.
--Are there any plans to hold GTWS in regions where it has not yet been held, such as Latin America or Africa?
Yamauchi: We have considered Latin America several times. However, we did it once in Australia, but it was quite difficult because it was far from Europe and took a long time to get there. We would actually like to do it in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and have considered it several times, but it has not yet come to fruition.
--We saw many parents and children enjoying the tournament at the venue. Do you have any hopes or ideas for how you would like Gran Turismo to be for parents and children in the future?
Yamauchi: After 28 years, our users are already in their second generation. We've seen a real increase in parent-child pairs at every round of the World Series, and I think that's the benefit of developing the same title for a long time. We aim to create games that will enrich the lives of those who play "Gran Turismo."
--thank you very much.
Gran Turismo World Series 2026 Round 1 - Abu Dhabi Details
「グランツーリスモ」シリーズの世界大会「グランツーリスモ ワールドシリーズ（GTWS）」は、12月20日、2026年シーズンのオープニングイベント（ROUND1）にアブダビを選択したことを明らかにした。開催時期は通例より3カ月近く早い3月28日を予定。GTWS2025福岡最終日となる12月21日、メディア向けのラウンドテーブルが開催されたのでその模様をお届けする。出席者は、「グランツーリスモ」シリーズクリエイターの山内一典氏と、アブダビ文化観光局のサイード・アル・ファザリ氏。
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On December 20th, the Gran Turismo World Series (GTWS), the global tournament for the Gran Turismo series, announced that Abu Dhabi had been chosen as the location for the opening event (ROUND 1) of the 2026 season. The event is scheduled for March 28th, nearly three months earlier than usual. A media roundtable was held on December 21st, the final day of GTWS2025 Fukuoka, and we bring you a report on that event. Attendees included Kazunori Yamauchi, creator of the Gran Turismo series, and Saeed Al Fazali of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism.
Ticket sales have also begun in conjunction with this announcement. This development comes at a stage when the specific regulations for GTWS2026, let alone the participating drivers, have yet to be revealed. The qualifying rounds to determine the participants for the Abu Dhabi event will also be held significantly earlier than planned, with the Manufacturers' Cup starting on January 14th and the Nations Cup on February 11th.
As in previous years, the Abu Dhabi event will feature ROUND 1 of the Manufacturers' Cup and Nations' Cup over the course of one day, with sub-events also planned. Ticket prices start from 130 AED (approximately 5,580 yen), with premium tickets that guarantee front-row seats costing 150 AED (approximately 6,443 yen).
A sales website in Japanese has already been opened, so tickets can also be purchased from Japan.
What I felt through participating in this roundtable was the strong enthusiasm to attract people from all over the world, including Japan, to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). GTWS was selected as a promising content and was officially announced in conjunction with the implementation of the Yas Marina Circuit, a course representative of the Middle East. Yamauchi was contacted by the UAE Embassy and visited Abu Dhabi several times before deciding to hold the event. The decision to hold the event in Abu Dhabi was not just Yamauchi's own will or the fulfillment of a long-held wish, but rather the strong will of the UAE, and with many GT fans among the UAE's government officials, it seems that Yamauchi was also moved by their enthusiasm.
Regarding his impression of Abu Dhabi, the host city of the event, Yamauchi commented, "It's a country with a lot of car enthusiasts. And it's not just men, there are a lot of female car enthusiasts as well." He continued, "In Japan and the West, cars are seen as a hobby for men, but my first impression of the UAE is that this is not the case at all."
He also shared his impressions of actually driving on the Yas Marina Circuit, which has finally been implemented in "GT7" and also used in the GTWS, saying, "Yas Marina is a circuit that you normally only see in F1, but when you drive it in a GT3 car, it's incredibly technical, and you have to use a gear one or two lower than you'd imagine. There are quite a few corners, and I thought it was a really interesting course." In fact, the Yas Marina Circuit was also used in yesterday's Manufacturers Cup qualifying, and different cars used different gears. Overall, he evaluated it as "a track where the way you drive changes dramatically depending on the car you're using."
Regarding the GTWS being held in Abu Dhabi, Al Fazali said excitedly, "As a long-time fan of the GT series, I am happy that my dream has come true. Not only are the people involved and the audience excited, but the media is excited as well. I would like to expand this partnership." He also expressed his intention to widely solicit participation from spectators from overseas.
Speaking to the media, Al Fazali emphasized Abu Dhabi's great potential as a host country for esports. "Abu Dhabi is located within an eight-hour radius of 80% of the world's population, making it the perfect home for all dreamers," he said, expressing his hope to raise the city's status as a host country for esports competitions through the hosting of GTWS.
Unfortunately, Japan is not included in the area that can be reached in eight hours, but the Abu Dhabi round in March could be an opportunity to boost the excitement for the GT series in the Middle East and create new competitions and communities. The GTWS Abu Dhabi round is likely to be a tournament worth paying attention to in many ways.
I used Google Translate for the translation. Interesting that there might be more F1 content in the future. The same line in Microsoft Translator says the following: I guess you can't really say it's impossible.
