Why Gran Turismo 7’s Graphics Look So Different From Other Games

[Jordan]

This is the discussion thread for an article on GTPlanet:

Why Gran Turismo 7’s Graphics Look So Different From Other Games​

At the SIGGRAPH 2025 conference in Vancouver, three engineers from Polyphony Digital delivered a detailed presentation on the visual technology inside Gran Turismo 7, offering a rare look behind-the-curtains to explain why the game’s graphics have such a distinct quality...

 

[GlamFM]

Great read. Thank you.

Thrilled to see them implying that VR will still be a thing in the future.
Was a bit worried there they might drop support because all things considered it seems like Sony see VR2 as a failure.

 

[Mafio]

Its funny, Friday I was on here comparing GT's graphics to Forza's to see if GT REALLY looked better. I came to the conclusion it was the "lighting". I guess "Tone Mapping" I was the phrase I was looking for. Great job!

 

[Artremis]

If there's one thing that GT7 can't be faulted for it's surely its visual aspect. It just looks so correct, that even when seeing something that should be technically much more advanced (like the Path Tracing mode in F1 25) it still can't match the natural look of GT.

Really can't wait to see what they can do with a PS5-only (or PS6 crossgen?) game. Hopefully they can finally use a lighting system that allows them to have fully dynamic ToD / Weather without the current limitations

 

[suomi1]

An interesting read.

I still think shadows feel off, especially when it comes to trees and dashboards.

 

[Nujaseb]

Fascinating, I've been saying for a while that GT just looks natural as far as lighting goes, as in what my eyes would actually see and it's nice having a bit of technical background on how they're doing it.

 

[jonoholland29]

If there's one thing that GT7 can't be faulted for it's surely its visual aspect. It just looks so correct, that even when seeing something that should be technically much more advanced (like the Path Tracing mode in F1 25) it still can't match the natural look of GT.

Really can't wait to see what they can do with a PS5-only (or PS6 crossgen?) game. Hopefully they can finally use a lighting system that allows them to have fully dynamic ToD / Weather without the current limitations

Part of that is because of this though. That's why there's a limited amount of time or restrictions on weather because PD don't guess. They go out there and get that data, and if they haven't got it, they don't simulate it

 

[Mafio]

Part of that is because of this though. That's why there's a limited amount of time or restrictions on weather because PD don't guess. They go out there and get that data, and if they haven't got it, they don't simulate it

This line of reasoning goes into their car selection as well.

 

[Imbissbrunto]

The tone mapping really separates Gran Turismo‘s cars from the competition. GT7 has the most realistic lighting i have ever seen in a videogame besides MW2.

Like @Nujaseb said, it looks absolutely natural in a way other video game developers cannot seem to replicate.

 

[ferhound]

Its not the technical part of it, its the artistic direction of the game.

 

[danimac]

I’ve always said GT7 looks so right like they get many different times of the days and countries looking just like the real thing. For instance Bathurst the lighting looks just like Australia at certain times of the day. The nature surrounding the track, the sky, the clouds, the rocks even. The colours looks so accurate and natural. I know I’m really in Australia when I race there.

 

[RetroVelocity]

This article puts perfectly into words what I’ve been trying to describe about this game
It just looks right, like PD looked at how the human eye works and decided to model the game’s visuals based on that
It’s definitely got one of the best implementations of HDR I’ve seen in a game too

 

[anthonyfa18]

Any one have the link to YouTube for the full press conference?

 

[newmedia_dev]

According to the presentation, Polyphony Digital’s goal is to achieve “perceptual realism”, reproducing an image that matches how our eyes actually perceive light rather than just simulating the raw physics.

I think this philosophy extends way beyond the visual presentation layer.

It would go a long way to understanding how the game and physics are considered. Gameplay experience is the priority over lots of aspects of realism for the better imo.

As a side note I always am impressed with GTs visuals but in some ways they almost always stay to “polished” but beautiful none the less.

 

[lancia delta hf]

The tone mapping really separates Gran Turismo‘s cars from the competition. GT7 has the most realistic lighting i have ever seen in a videogame besides MW2.

Like @Nujaseb said, it looks absolutely natural in a way other video game developers cannot seem to replicate.

They've done an amazing job. However, the most realistic lighting in any game depends on what they were trying to simulate. The article says it simulates the human eye but they must have mixed their words up with "camera" because GT simulates cameras that have really poor HDR externally well. I don't want to play like I'm looking through a camera though. Many here will know exactly what my complaint is. Even in the image in the article there's a good example, the cockpit of the car should not be this dark in a tin top let alone a toplesss car. This is not how this scenario would look with the human eye which they're apparently simulating but rather a low spec camera. This is the only thing graphially they need to improve for me. I find it extremely bizarre that they talk this bit up whilst not actually doing what they claim.

 

[Volksauto]

The driver of that Beetle is feeling pretty optimistic.

 

[Imbissbrunto]

They've done an amazing job. However, the most realistic lighting in any game depends on what they were trying to simulate. The article says it simulates the human eye but they must have mixed their words up with "camera" because GT simulates cameras that have really poor HDR externally well. I don't want to play like I'm looking through a camera though. Many here will know exactly what my complaint is. Even in the image in the article there's a good example, the cockpit of the car should not be this dark in a tin top let alone a toplesss car. This is not how this scenario would look with the human eye which they're apparently simulating but rather a low spec camera. This is the only thing graphially they need to improve for me. I find it extremely bizarre that they talk this bit up whilst not actually doing what they claim.View attachment 1476484

I think this might be due to different TV settings. I‘m playing the game on an HDR TV and it definitely doesn‘t look this dark. I’d agree that the lighting in that screenshot looks too dark though.

 

[Old_Setzer]

Edit: I think the gifs are too heavy.

 

[jlbmel]

An interesting read.

I still think shadows feel off, especially when it comes to trees and dashboards.

The shadows on the instrument panels are not realistic at all especially on old muscle cars.

 

[brockie]

Recently I brought an old ps3 and got my Logitech DFGT out of the loft and am playing GT5 & 6 with my 6 year old, I think they just absolutely nail the gameplay and the excellent graphics makes it stand alone number 1,

Nowadays it’s getting very close to looking completely life like,

How lucky we all are! 😁

 

[Imbissbrunto]

Nowadays it’s getting very close to looking completely life like,

How lucky we all are! 😁

I was just talking about this with a friend how we used to think video game graphics couldn‘t get any better than Gran Turismo 4 or Final Fantasy XII back in the day, yet here we are. It‘s pretty impressive how far games have come, not only concerning graphics but also animations, writing and dialogue quality.

 

[ZEE]

This is the discussion thread for an article on GTPlanet:

Why Gran Turismo 7’s Graphics Look So Different From Other Games​

At the SIGGRAPH 2025 conference in Vancouver, three engineers from Polyphony Digital delivered a detailed presentation on the visual technology inside Gran Turismo 7, offering a rare look behind-the-curtains to explain why the game’s graphics have such a distinct quality...

Thank you for sharing this @Jordan, I was always curious at what techniques Polyphony used over other certain developers to achieve such good photorealistc HDR and dynamic image lighting in their games to give it that "GT look". Because as most of us know, this series of games, is always built on it's great presentation of Real world Cars, photoscapes (location) and world tracks. The only closest game I can say that came even close was another Sony classic, DRIVECLUB. We don't have that series anymore and I shed a tear talking about it, but GT7 fills that void plenty lol. But it's not just the technical side, it is also the Visual aesthetic that they give the game which makes it so unique for all players.

I am also quite content that PD has made GT7 stayed locked at constant 60fps and having the option of running a 120HZ mode if supported on TV's is very cool option! Very nice to also read the technical point of view, discussed by Yasutomi, Suzuki and Uchimara-san from a Designer/video specialist based point of view for me is very cool.

DFoundry discussing tehcnical unblockers for 60fps on DCLUB!

 

[Mafio]

I was just talking about this with a friend how we used to think video game graphics couldn‘t get any better than Gran Turismo 4 or Final Fantasy XII back in the day, yet here we are. It‘s pretty impressive how far games have come, not only concerning graphics but also animations, writing and dialogue quality.

HA! People say this at the beginning of every generation. Playing SNES like, "Man, it can't get any better than this!"

 

[newmedia_dev]

writing and dialogue quality.

Ah you haven’t spent time with Sarah

Mods I was changing the image to the non meme one :/

Edit:

 

[Imbissbrunto]

Ah you haven’t spent time with Sarah

Mods I was changing the image to the non meme one :/

View attachment 1476540

Edit:

View attachment 1476541

I was thinking more of games like RDR2 or the Mass Effect trilogy lol.

Btw I completely forgot about Serrano‘s smug dialogue in GT7, this is way worse than Sarah‘s infamous „take a deep breath!“ statement. 😂

 

[TheErik]

Incredible read, thank you! I don't think I've really experienced any moments playing where I thought "this doesn't look natural, something is very wrong here." The stability of image/lighting quality cannot be understated.

The one thing I think needs the most attention for the next game is making sure everything doesn't go pitch black when an opponent ahead of me blocks my headlights. They have headlights too, let's see them get put to use!

 

[jonoholland29]

Incredible read, thank you! I don't think I've really experienced any moments playing where I thought "this doesn't look natural, something is very wrong here." The stability of image/lighting quality cannot be understated.

The one thing I think needs the most attention for the next game is making sure everything doesn't go pitch black when an opponent ahead of me blocks my headlights. They have headlights too, let's see them get put to use!

I mean… there’s a few things that don’t look right. The trees growing through the barriers at Le Mans, the awful pop in

 

[Giz WCR-666]

less presentations, more track development please.

 

[05XR8]

Oh, them trees. I think that's a new record of seven months without a Gran Turismo trees complaint.

 

[NevilleNobody]

This is the discussion thread for an article on GTPlanet:

Why Gran Turismo 7’s Graphics Look So Different From Other Games​

At the SIGGRAPH 2025 conference in Vancouver, three engineers from Polyphony Digital delivered a detailed presentation on the visual technology inside Gran Turismo 7, offering a rare look behind-the-curtains to explain why the game’s graphics have such a distinct quality...

I was trying ACC the other day and the look is just a million miles from gt7...a.....million.....miles. the developers do a great job on the gt7 visuals.