GT Sport VR Functionality Limited to Dedicated “VR Tour Mode”

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The news keeps on rolling out of London. We’ve already seen the first footage of GT Sport utilizing both PS4 Pro and PSVR, and heard the revelation that Kazunori Yamauchi at one point considered outsourcing to speed up franchise development. The latter tidbit came care of Videogamer.com, the same source for the latest news: PlayStation VR support will only feature in a dedicated ‘VR Tour’ mode.

The VR demos on hand in London are hooked up to PS4 Pro units, and feature two cars running around the Willow Springs circuit. Talking with Eurogamer.net, Yamauchi explains:

“It will be one part of the game. One thing we discovered in developing and doing the VR, to do the whole game playable in VR is going to be a strain on the players. You can see in the demo downstairs, there’ll be a VR Tour mode that’ll be included in the game. That showcases the VR effects.”

Based on Yamauchi’s comments, players shouldn’t expect every aspect of the game to be compatible with VR. Exactly how many of the game’s 27 track layouts — or even things like Scapes and replays — will be ready for virtual reality exploration at release is still unknown.

Swing by our GT Sport forum section to discuss this latest development, as well as other news surrounding Polyphony’s upcoming racer.

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Comments (33)

  1. ArR29

    The graphics and quality of the game needs to downgrade for normal PS4 users just to accommodate the PSVR users. I think that is what Kaz means by strain on the player.

  2. BMWcrazy

    I was gonna buy the PS VR for GT Sport and Dead or Alive Xtreme 3.

    I guess I’ll just get a Vive and enjoy the 3D hentai games.

  3. Gran_Turismo

    It could be a strategy, since DC: VR is prove difficult for some peoples brains to handle or this could a lack or interest or skill to implement VR properly.

    I’m going with both. Maybe next gen VR will be more of a competent method of play for racing games.

  4. WyldAnimal

    Strain on Players is probably Accurate.
    in a mixed Setting, VR Players and Non-VR players, I think the Non-VR Players would have to compromise for the VR players.

    We will have to wait and see what is Meant by VR tour Mode.
    Maybe it will just be off line with one or two AI Cars, on a tour of the tracks?

  5. Keithdoom

    Guess I’m one of the few who wasn’t planning on using this because the only time I can play GT is when my daughter is sleeping.

  6. hobbsy

    For all we know, “VR Tour Mode” could just mean that its not included in the online or eSports system. Just because it has its own mode, does not say to me, that it is should be viewed as a negative. Also from what we know about “Scapes” this would not work in the VR mode, so its another reason why the game is not “Fully” playable in VR.
    I for one am not going to get hung up over what it will or won’t be. However, I can say that after playing the game at EGX, and just recently getting my first real go at PSVR, I’m really looking forward to what comes with GTS.
    I personally would not want to try and play GTS as a singular VR experience anyway. I don’t think my brain is ready for that level of saturation yet! ;)

  7. Koolad

    PS4 PRO impressions of the London event in an spanish blog, xataka.com: “By the way, trying the 4k version of Gran Turismo Sport, even a Forza series fan as me starts to doubt [which is best]; but I was able to play the Playstation VR version and I thought that I had travelled back in time to the PS2 days with very, very poor graphics”.

    original link, in spanish: http://www.xataka.com/videojuegos/ps4-pro-viaje-a-las-tripas-y-primeras-impresiones-de-la-primera-consola-4k

  8. Imari

    I think he misspoke. He said “a strain on players” when he really meant “a strain on developers”.

    I don’t believe for a moment that they’re leaving out full game VR because they actually think it will be better for the players.

  9. letdown427

    That seems like one hell of a comment to not bother clarifying.

    What does he mean VR Tour mode? Until proven otherwise I’m going to assume it’s basically Photomode in VR, and that the actual VR driving bits we’re seeing are internal one offs they’ve spent months cobbling together on a series of networked PS4 Pros like the old multi-screen days.

  10. LexV10_1LR

    PD s a joke in the gaming industry. Devs who once pushed every piece of hardware to its limits, now half asses every piece of hardware and technology to create a product which resembles the work of only half the staff who had their asses in office working on the project.

    I know physics and graphics are their priority but if the new technologies are important, I would rather them completely opt out of using the tech then to throw some experimental garbage together just to show Sony they know how to “use” the tech for the sake of satisfying Sony’s R&D investment

  11. torque99

    It is a shame the full game is not VR but I still look forward to the tour in VR it looks amazing, it is very difficult to describe the feeling you get with it all around you and headphones on, 360 degree scenery even on the floor and ceiling.
    Races and Time Trials, Arcade it will be an experience to be ‘In the GTS game’ for me. I have no regrets on VR and the speed and immersion it brings (i.e Drive Club) after setting up the eye calibration/focus properly. People forget to mention the roads and bridges and cars next to you on the grid are noisy massive nearly real life sizes and the picture is the size of your walls at home around you. To move the seat back and forward and lean out the door still amazes me. There will be plenty of other games (non racing) as well for VR next year it is a game changer for me and I do not think it is going away soon. Even the 360 cinema mode or watching Blu rays on a cinema sized screen in front of you is a great picture (DVD quality) or sitting as a passenger looking around in replay mode.
    As you sit down for most the games/racing I do not think it will be a strain to the players (only the eyes after a few hours) as they recommend taking a break 15 mins within the hour (very sensible as it does take time to adjust the first few weeks) so I think he means the tour will give races and options to last this sort of time frame. I look forward to it and more info on what is included.

  12. TeamCZRRacing

    I guess it kind of makes sense. Although I’m by no means an expert, I’d be willing to bet that to make the whole game VR-compatible would be like creating two different games in a sense. You’d have to have different textures for each track and car in the game if you wanted things to both look great for non-VR players while still allowing those with headsets to remain comfortable.

    1. Johnnypenso

      How is it that a little independent studio like Kunos can make a game with enough settings variation that it can play on a 5 or 6 year old pc with much lower settings, as well as a higher powered current model with a staff of 12, but PD can’t do the same with a staff of 200 and more than 4 years worth of time?

  13. David Brooks

    “to do the whole game playable in VR is going to be a strain on the players”

    That’s an interesting comment. Surely he means strain on the developers or the hardware?

    If he really means players then i wouldn’t mind betting another game developer will beat GT to the punch and prove to Kaz that the players can handle it (or they can turn it off if they choose).

    If it is strain on the hardware it doesn’t bode well for any racing vr on the ps4 especially when Sony had previously indicated vr would work even with a standard ps4.

    If it is strain on the developers then suck it up buttercup or at least be truthful.

    Typical PD: promise more than they can actually deliver and then disappoint the community. It’s the premium/standard car debacle all over again.

    1. Johnnypenso

      “A strain on the players” is a silly comment from Kaz if we take it literally. Because literally, it means the VR headset is straining to players playing a game in which your position within the game is virtually fixed, a good deal of the view is static (in cockpit mode) and the aspects of motion within the game are pretty predictable and monotonous. Contrast that with a fighting game or adventure game which should be much more taxing and tiring for players. So if Kaz thinks something as simple as a racing game is a strain on the players, it doesn’t bode well for the concept of VR as a whole or at least Sony’s first attempt at it.

      We can only guess as to what he truly meant, if indeed it’s any different than the literal translation.

  14. Abarth 500

    I was excited for GTSVR but this kindve a let down, despite having little information I have no doubt it will be disappointing, at least i have DCVR to hold me down

  15. RaceFuchs

    I just wonder what this tour mode exactly is. And why they keep VR from the main game. I dont really get what Kaz is saying here, but i guess the biggest problem here are hardware limitations. This is a massive disappointment for me, i thought GT Sport would be the perfect excuse to get PSVR. But now? GT Sport wont have dynamic weather, it wont have dynamic day/night cycle, it wont run in native 4K and it wont have propper VR support. Quite the bummer, yeah.

    1. MMX

      They’re sticking to the trend they started with GT5. Less and less content with every installment.
      GT4 was packed full of tracks, events, and of course cars. I’m not sure why I torture myself waiting on the next game, it’s just going to piss me off, but I keep drinking the PD kool-aid like an idiot.

  16. Rautz

    VR requires a locked 60fps. Its dissapointing but Im glad they decided this early out not to bother with trying to make a full fleged vr game full of “compromises” to appease the smaller market. In saying that, as an owner of a PSVR headset I hope that VR mode is as glorious as can be.

  17. GrumpyGrumps

    Is this where we queue the expressions of disappointment?

    In all seriousness, it’ll be a few years of price reductions before PSVR is going to be worth the spend for me, so as long as the full game is playable without it it’s a non issue for me.

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