It looks like Gran Turismo 7 is ready for its PS5 launch and could very likely be the headlining title for the new gaming console.
When it comes to the biggest PlayStation exclusives, Gran Turismo needs no introduction. It is Sony’s flagship racing series and it’s only natural that fans of the game are eagerly waiting for the release of the seventh installment.
So far, Sony has released Gran Turismo Sport, a title that focuses mainly on the online aspects of the game. It has been openly stated by Sony that Gran Turismo Sport is by no means the full fledged Gran Turismo 7.
So, when is Gran Turismo 7 expected?
Sony’s highly anticipated PS5 is set to release in November, 2020. It’s only logical that Sony would want to showcase the new console’s power. Gran Turismo 7 would not only be a great show of power, it’s one of the franchises that promise nothing but success. It is very likely that Sony releases the latest Gran Turismo game with the PS5 hardware launch.
In terms of previous releases, between the release of Gran Turismo 5 and 6, and the release of Gran Turismo 6 and Sport, there were three years and 4 years respectively. Assuming development time will be approximately the same, this would bring Gran Turismo 7 right around the launch of PS5 by the end of 2020, or possibly in the first half of 2021.
This is all speculation and there’s still no official word from Sony yet.
Moving on to the gameplay, Gran Turismo 7 will most likely feature the same core gameplay. There will be a few incremental improvements here and there. The real question here is how Gran Turismo 7 would benefit from the extremely powerful PS5 architecture.
At CES 2019, the company showed an 8K demo for Gran Turismo Sport. However, Polyphony Digital CEO Kazunori Yamauchi has emphasized that the company has no immediate plans of going down that road for the series.
The next generation of the game aims at 240 fps and 4K resolution, according to Kazunori Yamauchi. In an interview with GTplanet, Yamauchi also stressed that he was more interested in the advancements in terms of time resolution, as it would be changing the experience from there on.
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It is understandable that for a racing game that requires a quick response rate, a higher frame rate would make the gaming experience much more pleasant than a higher resolution.
Another big speculation about the new Gran Turismo game is whether it would support PSVR or not.
There’s no doubt that it would be exciting for the fans to experience the game in a whole new way. VR needs a lot of processing power and the new PS5 is just the right amount of power. In an interview with GTplanet in 2019, Kazunori Yamauchi said that he believed in the possibilities of VR. He added that it suited the genre very well too.
Sony has continued to support PSVR and there have been some rumors regarding a new PSVR2 as well. The company hasn’t confirmed anything yet. However, Gran Tursimo 7 would be a fantastic title to release with a new headset. Moreover, the inclusion of VR with a Sony flagship game would completely revolutionize racing games.
Seeing Kazunori Yamauchi’s fascination with VR, a VR mode can be expected in the game. A subsequent update could also bring the VR mode.
While a lot of stuff is still speculation, the game is certainly in development. We could be seeing be seeing it as soon as November,2020. As far as other additions like 8K demo, VR mode, and higher frame rates as concerned, these are definitely welcome. It is up to creators of the game to roll them out with this edition or not.