Gran Turismo (series)

Lore & Background

The series' origins trace back to 1992, when Kazunori Yamauchi, an employee at Sony Computer Entertainment Japan, started developing the original Gran Turismo with a team named Polys Entertainment, which began with five people and eventually became seventeen. Development took five years. Sony initially rejected Yamauchi's pitch for a realistic racing sim, but after the success of the team's other arcade racing games, Motor Toon Grand Prix and Motor Toon Grand Prix 2, he pitched the idea again and it was accepted. The first Gran Turismo was released for the PlayStation in Japan in 1997, and in North America, Europe, and other territories in 1998. Polyphony Digital was founded shortly after the sim's release. Gran Turismo 2 followed in 1999, featuring rally events and a roster of 650 cars across two discs. Subsequent installments were released on PlayStation 2, including Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec in 2001 and Gran Turismo 4, which expanded the hub world and introduced a photography mode and an AI racer mode. The series moved to PlayStation 3 with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in 2007, which included online play for up to 16 players. Gran Turismo 5 faced multiple delays, with Yamauchi describing development for the PS3 as a 'nightmare.'

Reader's Guide

Gran Turismo is one of PlayStation's most successful franchises, having garnered both commercial success and critical acclaim. The first title was the highest selling game for the original PlayStation, while four subsequent installments have been among the top-three best-selling games for their respective consoles. Multiple entries have been ranked among the greatest video games of all time. The series has performed as technical support for cars in the LMP1 class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Nürburgring 24-hour race. In 2023, the series received a film adaptation, and it became a sport for the Olympic Esports with the backing of the FIA. Many car manufacturers have designed virtual concept cars specifically for the series, and it has partnerships with Brembo, Dunlop Tyres, Mazda, Toyota Gazoo Racing, and Fanatec for the Gran Turismo World Series. In 2024, Mercedes-AMG recognized Gran Turismo 7 as part of sim racing. The series was the first modern simulator of the 21st century to promote racing with a wheel instead of a controller. Notable competitions include the Gran Turismo World Series and the former GT Academy.

Did You Know?

• The first Gran Turismo took five years to develop and started with a team of five people.
• Gran Turismo 2 had a roster of 650 cars and was released on two discs due to its size.
• The series has contributed to automotive culture through partnerships and events, but claims of direct technical support for LMP1 cars at Le Mans or the Nürburgring 24-hour race are not documented in official series cano
• While Gran Turismo popularized wheel-based racing on PlayStation, earlier PC simulators like Papyrus's IndyCar Racing and NASCAR Racing series promoted wheel use in the 1990s.