Gran Turismo Sport for PS4: What We Know So Far

As you’ve probably heard by now, the next chapter in the GT series – Gran Turismo Sport – was officially unveiled at the Paris Games Show a few hours ago.

Although there are still a lot of questions about exactly what GT Sport is and how it will fit into the series as a whole, there are a few details we can summarize to help us form an early picture of what we have to look forward to:

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3 Game Modes

GTPlanet can confirm that GT Sport will include three distinct game modes: “Campaign”, “Sports Mode”, and “Arcade Mode”. This nomenclature is an interesting departure from what we’ve seen in the most recent titles, suggesting the game will take a different route in its overall structure.

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FIA Gran Turismo Online Championship

The FIA aims to formally ratify the “Gran Turismo Online Championship” at the organization’s next World Motorsport Council meeting. Two championships will be held simultaneously throughout the year: the “Nations Cup” and “Manufacturers Cup”, where players represent either their country or their favorite car manufacturer.

Once ratified, the FIA will manage the series directly as any of their other franchises, including the World Rally Championship, Formula 1, World Endurance Championship, etc. The winners will be honored at the FIA’s annual prize-giving ceremonies in Paris.

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Live “E-Sports” Events

The Nations Cup and Manufacturers Cup will have “live” components, presumably similar in form to the regional finals held around the world each year for GT Academy. Polyphony Digital and Sony are actively looking to promote Gran Turismo as an “e-sports” platform to promote virtual motorsports in the future.

We have also learned that organized “online events” are also planned to be held on a regular basis.

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More Than Just Online Racing

There has been some concern among players who enjoy offline racing that GT Sport is primarily focused towards online competitions, but that’s likely not the case, according to much of the language used both on the PlayStation Blog and the official website:

“But it’s not just about online racing; the GT teams have continued to build on the games legacy of accessibility to ensure that the game is open to all to enjoy.”
— PlayStation Blog

“The major difference between real life motorsports and ‘Gran Turismo SPORT’ is in the fact that anyone, from children to the elderly, can participate and enjoy racing.

“Even players who have never played driving games until now can discover how fun it is to drive! Whilst at the same time, it will have the depth and complexity to meet the expectations of the existing Gran Turismo fans.”
— gran-turismo.com

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PlayStation VR Support Confirmed

There’s no doubt about it – Gran Turismo Sport will be fully compatible with the PlayStation VR virtual-reality headset. This will have a profound impact on the gameplay experience, as racing games have long been considered one of the best applications of VR technology.

“Through the testing that we’ve performed so far, the experience looks to be something that’s very good, and very natural,” Kazunori Yamauchi said during his presentation.

As of writing, there is no solid release date for the PlayStation VR yet, though it’s currently set for sometime during the “first half of 2016”. It’s likely to be closely tied to the full launch of Gran Turismo Sport.

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Improved Graphics, Physics, & Sounds

This isn’t much of a surprise, but the physics will reportedly be improved to take advantage of the PS4’s additional processing power. Engine sounds have also been a priority for Polyphony Digital since the launch of Gran Turismo 6, and GTPlanet has learned the company’s new sound engineer Mike Caviezel has been hard at work to change the way the sounds are generated.

We’ll finally be able to hear his progress when we get our first hands-on look at GT Sport.

GT Academy 2016 & Vision GT

We’ve been hearing off-the-record for quite some time that GT Academy 2016 will be hosted on the PlayStation 4, and it appears all but confirmed that GT Sport will be the new platform for Nissan’s annual gamer-to-racer competition.

Kazunori mentioned both GT Academy and Vision GT during his presentation, discussing how both programs made history in the past, and how Polyphony hopes to continue doing so in the future with GT Sport.

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2016 Launch Date, Public Beta in Spring

The PlayStation Blog has confirmed the game will launch in 2016, with a “Spring 2016” window for Gran Turismo Sport’s beta. During his presentation in Paris, Kazunori announced that the game will begin open beta testing with “everyone in the game community” starting “early next year”. What does this mean, exactly?

Since the launch of PlayStation 4, several major titles have public beta versions of their game on the PlayStation Network, including Star Wars: Battlefront and Uncharted 4. They are essentially pre-release demos, which offer an early look at the game.

Gran Turismo, of course, has a long history of such previews – older fans will no doubt recall Gran Turismo HD which released as a download-only title on the PlayStation 3 back in 2006. It gave us our first look at the Eiger Nordwand circuit along with online leaderboards and a small collection of new cars. There was a similar demo for GT5: Prologue, though it was only released in Japan.

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Is This Gran Turismo 7?

Is this game going to replace Gran Turismo 7? Is it a “Prologue” by another name? We don’t know yet, but we do know that Gran Turismo Sport appears to be an important new platform which Polyphony Digital is going to build upon over the next few years.

UPDATE: We now know that GT Sport is not Gran Turismo 7, as confirmed by Sony executive Jim Ryan in an interview with Eurogamer.

What’s Next?

The Gran Turismo events calendar just got a lot more interesting with these unexpected announcements from Paris. Next up is the GT Awards at SEMA in Las Vegas on November 4th, though it is not traditionally used to make major announcements about the game (they did, however, use the opportunity to announce Gran Turismo’s Pikes Peak sponsorship last year).

The next big event to put on your calendar is the PlayStation Experience 2015, December 5th-6th, which will now almost certainly feature a major blowout of information regarding both Gran Turismo Sport and PlayStation VR. In early 2016, look for the Consumer Electronics Show and the North American International Auto Show to bring the next rounds of hype. We’ll be keeping a close eye on news about the game around the clock.

As always, stop by GTPlanet’s all new Gran Turismo Sport forum to discuss and debate the latest announcements with other “fans” as we begin an interesting year for Gran Turismo!

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Comments (86)

  1. Red_Robin_8

    It’s good to hear some news of a new title anyway!!! I am quite excited to be honest – as soon as there is a release date for the Beta version I have to take some money and go to shopping mall…need a new 4K TV, soundbar system, playseat with new wheel/pedals, VR headset…and last but not least: the game…THIS WILL BE EPIC!!!

  2. GTRracer

    I would like to see a drift championship. Also making the cars more customizable like engine swaps ect. Wouldn’t hurt.

  3. AERO_HDT

    I remember Kazunori saying with the advent of GT5 that gamers were now casual and didn’t have the time or commitment for serious “career” modes. He’s now done a total backflip and is now releasing games that are the total opposite, only for hardcore gamers who have the time to do 1000 laps of a given track in search for .001 hundredths of a second.

    Kazunori now wants to turn the game into the e-sports racing version of DOTA2 and LoL. I’m not sure it can be done, but I wish him the best of luck.

    Only a matter of time before microtransactions become part of GT. New wheels? New exhausts? Custom headlights? That’ll be thanks.

    1. Johnnypenso

      Microtransactions were introduced in December, 2013…lol. It’s too early to tell about the rest of it. There could be both a large and interesting offline component and a competitive online component to the game, they aren’t mutually exclusive.

  4. Eager Snake

    Am I the only one who wants the new sounds to be like Raceroom or Driveclub? Anyway, I’m really excited, let’s just wait and play MGSV in the meantime…

    1. Johnnypenso

      No you’re not. Once you get a taste of those games and Assetto Corsa, Project Cars etc., the sounds in GT just don’t cut the mustard, especially playing it through a good dolby surround system.

  5. RoadRunner36

    Imagine if they got the World Rally Series in GT Sport, I would travel across the 7 seas of Fiestas, climb the highest Subaru mountains, and mourn at the graves of the Evos just to get that game and a PS4.

  6. GTguy88

    Wow…look at those trees! Definitely see a massive improvement in the environment, quality of the cars and lighting both in the environment and vehicle lights.

  7. MGTTTTT

    I would like to see.

    1 – STABLE ONLINE RACING, LIKE IN GT5 spec 2.

    2 – GOOD AI THAT BEHAVES LIKE ITS IN A RACE !

    Thats it really. Just a playable and fun game . I`d be happy with that.

    1. DSUjoeDirte9

      If I have to wait 2 years for the actual gt7 after sport, I’ll buy sport anyway. I mean I had fun with gt5 prologue and that was like what, 30 cars?

  8. Donnced

    Good news??? You are all sure??

    Today the president of sony said that GT Sport is not GT7…

    It will be a kind of Prologue with online… So,now that i now that GTS will not be GT7 i don’t even think about buying this “Prologue” game..

    Now the awaiting of GT7 starts again…

  9. mikronimo

    Good news… maybe; only race, not street hyper/super/sport cars? Aside that i can’t understand why they can’t tell us, as-bright-as-the-sun-is, what they’re doing, but, really, after all this time and after that we seen cars such as LaFerrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, etc., in other games, now they will completely jump over… i hope it will be not this way…

    1. Johnnypenso

      To be fair, a long, slow tease is actually good marketing. A tiny reveal to get the communities buzzing, followed up by the regular release of small pieces of information and video, culminating in a grand launch event is pretty standard stuff in marketing. If they gave out all the details now, the high would come too soon and the hype train would have the brakes on before the game is released.

    2. mikronimo

      Well, so now we know that GT Sport will be not GT7… good news… maybe ;) because it means a lot of time waiting for GT7, yet.

      @Johnnypenso… i know that this is the way things go, in marketing, but PD has made of the procrastination and lack of clear information an art; too much IMO.

  10. Blood*Specter

    I can only pray for improved graphics, driving feel, sound and please implement a better car tuning interface that uses realistic tire/wheel spring and damper adjustments (hint tire pressure. Tire and brake temperature) and realistic changes in driving dynamics when changes are made. In other words realistic handling changes when tuning parameters are modified.

    Please let the effect of changing aerodynamics be felt. Just like lip & tail spoilers and ground effects packages installed on stock cars need to make a difference and have impact on the handling of your car.

    Define car classes to make it easy to create races between cars of the same class.
    More control of (granular) tuning parts that can be used in a on-line room.

    If they don’t add elements of sim racing tuning, and improve the application of FFB and expand the liveries offered, Sport will be more of a joke than GT6 was. And the rest of the paying customers will just trickle away. I’ve loved this franchise from day one.
    But against the offerings on the market now, GT is a giant disappointment.

    With the experience, backing and customer feedback that GT should have, GT Sport should by all rights blow away the competition in one fell swoop. Kaz and PD have a tremendous advantage over the new racers on the market. The difference is the new kids on the block LISTEN to their customers, and for the most part live up to their promises.
    PD and Kaz can not say the same. And we all know it.

  11. HarVee

    One wonders how many standard cars there will be in this title. One can hardly wait to drive a low-poly Midget again.

  12. cjr3559

    Ah yes, Sony VR. As if my girlfriend doesn’t think I’m weird enough wearing headphones sitting behind a steering wheel on a pole…

    1. fluegelmann

      cant tell how much i laughed about this one! So true, but on the other hand how cool would that be to just look right and see the car ON.YOUR.RIGHT.? Oh id love that, but i`m sure my wife would have fun giving me heartattacks by surprisingly laying her hand on my shoulder ;)

    2. Johnnypenso

      With some of the friends I have, I can just see videos uploaded to YT, me with my VR headset on and them doing unspeakably evil things completely unbeknownst to me. For sure that’ll be a trend on YT channels, “Look what I did to my friend while he had his VR headset on”…oh the humanity.

  13. andrew84555

    A smaller, tighter, more racing focused game with less sequel baggage than if it were called GT7.

    This could be exactly what GT needs.

  14. VBR

    If the beta has some kind of bug report function, that’ll go a long way for us to be able to help PD de-bug the game. And seeing as the beta will be free, nobody can moan about paying to beta test the game like we did with GT6. Hopefully it will be a proper beta with bug report functionality & not just a demo.

    1. Mubble

      How? You’re basing your purchase decision on a game which might be rubbish and get 5/10 reviews? Past GT games have certainly been a let down recently. Why not get a PS4 based on the current raft of tried and tested top-rated games – like GTA5, Project Cars, Unchartered, Battlefield, Dying Light etc etc.

    2. Sauber_C9

      @Mubble Considering GTs track record there would be no reason to doubt them. Even if GT5/6 weren’t as good as some people hoped they were certainly worth getting. Your list of ‘top-rated’ games is hilarious though, do you even have a PS4? Surely those multi-platform games wouldn’t encourage someone to buy a PS4. Bloodborne is one of the only games I can think of that would make someone buy a PS4.

    3. Johnnypenso

      No reason to doubt them? On the back of the box for GT6 it said, “change the racing genre forever”. Didn’t exactly pan out that way did it?

    1. Griffith500

      Haha, “Blattered” xD

      Anyway, what’s wrong with the FIA?

      I mean, I know there’s an unhealthy obsession with wristwatches, a reliance on silly rule-change schemes to attract big money manufacturers etc., but is there something more sinister afoot? My ignorance on this matter is thus made clear, I’m sure! :P

  15. Antony Henley

    Just by watching a nice cgi intro (loved the music) im not convinced. However much as i love Gran Turismo im just not convinced. The FIA participation is great. I look forward to taking oart. But for me seriously i dont see mysrlf winni g any championship if you get my drift. Im 45 and have a full time job as well as looking after an elderly parent.

    The other thing im more concerned about is we all know how PD loves to put everything into their “demos” regarding eye candy. How will a penalty system be implemented as theres always the twat that is practising for that driving vacancy with Californian Highway Patrol that will PIT manouver you or use you as a break!

    Also yellow flag / bad sportsmanship behaviour?

    VGT is in with this. Im not overly bothered that it is. Its a free car.
    There are so many questions that need answeri g and i hope i wont have to implement the “you can polish a turd, but its still a turd” saying.

    I do look forward to the beta but with concern.

    1. Magic Ayrton

      Totally agree with you there, I am 43 and have an elderly father.. The answer is, I won’t be jumping on a PS4 any time soon, best way is to play the waiting game.. I will try the game on a relatives PS4 first! I’m just afraid that as with GT5 Prologue (where the car sounds were all spot on in my opinion) they will blind us with the limited content of the beta version, then once everyone is back on board the same old antics of ps2 cars and poorly made sounds will creep back in.. Really hope I am completely wrong.. But once burned..

    2. Andyc709292

      Yep agree with this. For me GT academy is great pr news but not something I ever had time or skills to find attractive as a challenge. To make a game in the same vein will be just as unattractive.

      And vision gt? Nope, if I wanted fantasy cars that have fantasy handling, sounds and looks I’d buy an arcade racer.

      I love Gt6. The availability of cars and tracks, and now track making – a limited content game with high social content us just as unappealing as it sounds.

    3. AERO_HDT

      @ Magic Ayron – it’s amazing at how many people now look back on GT5 Prologue and realise what such a good experience it really was. I for one, agree, GT5 Prologue was IMO, a brilliant GT. It needed more cars, more tracks and more events and could have quite easily become GT5.

      I’ll always remember the total fright I got driving the Corvette Z06 in Prologue, the car scared the bejeezus outta me and made me weak at the knees. That’s what Gran Turismo needs to bring back. That weak-at-the-knees feeling. Don’t ask me what it is, it’s like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

      Out of all the racing games I’ve ever played over the last 30 years, GT is the only one to have done that for me on a consistent basis.

  16. turismoslayer

    “And best of all, the winner of each championship will be coroneted in the same way as a real-life race winner, at a prize-giving ceremony held by the FIA. This will mark a historic moment in video gaming as Gran Turismo will officially be recognized as a motorsport.”

    That’s pretty cool. Either PD really is doing something right or they sold their soul.

  17. Froudeybrand

    “looks amazing”

    It’s a tech demo of course it will look amazing, it will look no more amazing then project cars or driveclub.

    1. SZRT Ice

      “It will look no more amazing than that which is defined by the word “amazing”” is pretty much what you just said.

  18. johnnyman123

    I mean listen, I am excited for this too, but doesnt anyone notice how lackluster the graphics look? This looks nothing more than a higher res verison of GT6. Personally I was expecting the graphics to truely blow me away. I am disappointed. Also, GTS will obviously be heavily geared toward FIA events I feel like I can predict exactly what the game will consist of.

    Disappointed.

    1. TeamCZRRacing

      The lighting looks MUCH better to me, and it seems – at least from the ND Miata interior shot – that the models have a lot more detail.

    2. johnnyman123

      Well if you want to the extremely modest, sure the lighting looks better, the resolution even..but come on this was suppose to be next gen and I know many people including myself were expecting PD to destroy drive club, forza etc…didnt happen! Besides some lighting improves..lol.

    3. BATHURST 1000

      Graphics look amazing too me, great detail and very realistic lighting, none of the shitty exaggerated lighting seen in Forza and Project Cars.

    4. MGTTTTT

      Really , the graphics look great ! what were you expecting ! Wilderbeast majestically roaming around the trackside ?

    5. johnnyman123

      I was expecting something with the wow factor of Driveclub and Project Cars…still after all this time Driveclub is still superior. I respect the factor that you think the graphics look great…but ive been playing GT6 coming on 2 years now and frankly the graphics look almost identical. I dont know, sue me.

    6. johnnyman123

      Ill say this much though, playing GT6 for 2 years now there are still moments when it truely looks photorealistic…so I dont know maybe I am spoiled. Timewill tell…looking forward to more screens and vids.

    7. TeamCZRRacing

      The resolution probably looks off to you because it’s a video. The game will most likely look a lot better.

    1. SZRT Ice

      Project CARS Mode:

      Annual Multiplayer Online Season w/ FIA ceremony and awards.
      Minimal upgrades.
      Regulated tuning.

      That’s my guess, likely with different time trials and online tournaments taking place according to a schedule. Like Seasonal Events on steroids.

    2. TeamCZRRacing

      But that would render Arcade Mode redundant, so I think it’s something else. A mode with full race weekend and flag simulation, perhaps?

    3. Johnnypenso

      @TeamCZR…Arcade Mode could also be a Sandbox Mode but with the full roster available and just for hooning around, hotlapping and one off races. Sport Mode might just be a Sandbox Mode tied into the FIA stuff, with all the cars necessary to compete in the FIA racing aspect of the game. It might include a leveling up process but with any luck, the total absence of an economy. That could be left exclusively to the Campaign Mode.

    4. Manasseh257NSX

      @Johnnypenso That’s a good observation. I hope PD did implement both modes so people who want to start from the beginning and grind, can very well do that, but people who want to just boot the game up and hop in a McLaren P1 or Sesto Elemento and race without having to grind days on end trying to get money, can do that as well.

      Overall, I hope PD appeals to the audience

    5. TeamCZRRacing

      I second Progress. To me, sandboxes take all of your progress ad render it completely null. Why would I want to play the campaign at all when literally everything is right there at my fingertips?

    6. SZRT Ice

      Considering everything they’ve mentioned about their relationship with the FIA and online racing season with awards at the FIA ceremony. My guess is that the Sport Mode would involve that. Process of elimination, as a traditional Campaign and Arcade mode wouldn’t be the suit that new addition to the GT Series. And considering that they’re going as far as naming the game GT “Sport” in honor of their alliance with the FIA and this global tournament, I’d imagine it to be obvious to everyone that the Sport mode is in relation to that.

    7. SZRT Ice

      In short:

      The game is titled “GT Sport”
      The have a partnership with the FIA.
      There will be a global competition (sport) where individuals young and old can compete.
      Winners will be honored at the FIA awards ceremony in December.
      So “Sport” mode is most certainly and obviously related to this new way to play and compete against others on a global scale.

    8. Johnnypenso

      @CZR, I don’t see why you and others can’t enjoy a Campaign mode and enjoy the Sport mode as a completely separate thing. Chances are they should feel completely different within the game with Sport Mode having few options for progression and taking more of a straightline path towards the FIA races and career being more like traditional career. With the two having clear distinction, if that’s the case, it should be something additional to the game that doesn’t take away from the base game. I can’t see any downside to this.

  19. TerminatorJ

    Great article! The more I learn about this game, the more it’s starting to sound like GT Sports is GT7 but with a new name and deeper connection to professional racing. In previous GT games, F1 racing, Rally racing, Karting and GT3 seemed to be afterthoughts but it sounds like the partnership with IFA will make these racing leagues more interesting and deeper for players.

    The 3 game modes is also very interesting. My guess is:

    Arcade Mode: Exactly whats is been in previous GT games. Play on all unlocked tracks, use any unlocked car and you’ll have the ability to play split screen races for local multiplayer. I’m guessing this is also the mode where you can drive on the tracks you made in the GT track greater app.

    Campaign: Also exactly whats its been in previous GT games. Pass the license test, buy a crappy first car and work your way up to the real speed machines. Collect a bunch of cars and customize them as much as you want. Only difference would be that the professional racing leagues would be much deeper and more realistic than in previous games.

    Sport Mode: I’m guessing this would be the new online multiplayer mode. This is where the IFA ties would really come into play. You would compete in live multiplayer races as well as time trials.

    I really hope this game turns out to be everything we hope for. The PS4 is in desperate need of an exclusive realistic driving game. The Xbox One has already had 2 main series Forza games.

  20. CowboyAce57

    I think it’s great that they are continuing the Vision GT project in this game. The game itself looks good so far.

  21. GTRacer22

    The part on the three distinct game modes is interesting…

    Just curious where regular online mode (community, lobbies, etc.) may fit in, if at all.

  22. wvmgmidget

    Thank you Jordan for confirming/answering some of our questions. Quite frankly, I’m pretty stoked about this game.

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