December 23, 2022 is a very special day for the Gran Turismo franchise. Exactly 25 years ago, in 1997, the original Gran Turismo hit store shelves in Japan and changed car culture and racing games forever. The impact of the series has been felt around the world, and fans have been posting their own tributes and stories in our forums to reveal how GT has affected their lives.
Sony executives who played a significant role in Gran Turismo’s early history have also shared video messages to Kazunori Yamauchi and the team at Polyphony Digital.
Kazuo Hirai, former chief executive of both Sony Computer Entertainment and Sony Corporation, worked closely with Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi in the early days. “I have so many memories of Gran Turismo,” Hirai-san said. “The impact of when I saw the initial Gran Turismo prototype running on PlayStation is something I will never forget. It was hard to believe that such a thing was possible on a video game console.”
A video message was also shared by Ken Kutaragi, another legendary former chairman and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment. He is often referred to as “The Father of PlayStation”, having directed the development of the original console, the PS2, PSP, and PS3. He discussed how revolutionary Gran Turismo’s graphics and physics were at the time, though his most interesting remarks state that he “get[s] the feeling that there will probably be even more incredible games coming, an even more incredible Gran Turismo title, or even something adhoc”.
Of course, Gran Turismo would not be where it is today without its fans. The franchise has inspired a generation of automotive and technology enthusiasts in ways that we will never be able to fully understand. It is rare for such a video game to have such influence on the world outside of its own industry, but Gran Turismo has done it.
Gran Turismo also inspired the creation of GTPlanet in 2001, and we’d like to think our forums have been an important hub for the GT community to congregate over the years. We’re proud to host some of the most passionate and knowledgable fans of the franchise, and many have been sharing memories and why these games have played such a big role in their own lives.
For many of GTPlanet users, the game didn’t just affect their hobbies, it impacted the direction of their lives and careers:
One particularly unique aspect of Gran Turismo is how the games managed to influence the way players viewed the cars themselves.
One of the most common themes, of course, is nostalgia. Seemingly everyone in our forums has fond memories of how they were first introduced to Gran Turismo, and what it was like to see and experience the game for the first time.
These are just a few samples of the stories and memories are users are sharing in the forums. Be sure to head over to our GT 25th Anniversary forum topic to read more, and be sure to post your own!
Once again, congratulations to Kazunori Yamauchi and the Polyphony Digital team on this incredible milestone!
This week’s new set of Gran Turismo 7 Weekly Challenges is starting to roll out around the globe, becoming available at midnight Thursday in your local time zone, with five new events to tackle over the next seven days and bonus rewards for doing so.
The latest Gran Turismo 7 Online Time Trial is now available, giving players a chance to run out in a remarkable European track toy in one of the new-to-series circuits.
Superstar musician Pharrell Williams met with Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital staff at the company’s offices in Tokyo, Japan. The visit was announced by Yamauchi himself on social media as he shared several photos of the occasion.
As expected, the Toyota Gazoo Racing GT Cup will return once again in Gran Turismo 7 for a new season in 2024, with seven online rounds capped off with a live, in-person final this December.
The Gran Turismo World Series appears set to break new ground once again in 2024, with the World Final seemingly scheduled for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Another fresh set of Gran Turismo 7 Weekly Challenges is becoming available to players as their local time zones tick over into Friday morning, bringing five more events and bonus rewards for completing them over the next seven days.
The format for the 2024 Gran Turismo World Series has been officially announced, with four live events set to take place across the year and a return to the solo Nations Cup event.