Last October, Polyphony Digital announced Gran Turismo Sport, the next installment in the PlayStation racing franchise. Yesterday, we heard more about the game’s many features ahead of its now-revealed release date of November 16.
Drive, Drive, Drive
At launch, the game will include 137 cars divided among four groups. Most of the vehicles are recreated from their real-world counterparts, but there are some virtual concepts, as well. You’ll be able to race each car across 19 locations with 27 track variations. Gameplay is split into three sections. The first two areas, Arcade and Campaign Mode (previously known as GT Mode), will be familiar to veterans of the series. However, Campaign Mode sports some new features.
For beginners, you can use the Campaign Mode’s Beginner School section to brush up on how to control your car on the track. Once you learn the driving mechanics, you can test it out on the track with a series of missions in the Circuit Experience section. If you think you’ve mastered the corners and can find the perfect racing line, you can try out Mission Challenges for a more difficult experience. There’s also a Driver’s Etiquette area, where you learn how to drive properly during a race and avoid pushing other cars into the barricade.
However, the main attraction is the game’s Sport Mode. Here, you can compete against other players in two major championships, the Nations Cup and the Manufacturers’ Cup. As their names suggest, you’ll be racing to represent your home country or a particular car brand, respectively. For the Nations Cup, the world’s players are split into three time zones, with the best racers in each group advancing to the regional finals. The regional winners will then compete with each other in the FIA (the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile, the world’s governing body on motorsport) finals. Those racing in the Manufacturers’ Cup will race in vehicles from their favorite brand. The top two winning brands will be awarded at an FIA gala at the end of the year.
Earn A License And Take Pictures
Perhaps the most exciting addition to Gran Turismo Sport is the introduction of a livery editor. For the first time in the series, you can now add some visual customizations to your car with a series of paints, designs and decals. Once you’re done with the editor, you can show off your car’s new look with “Scrapes,” the game’s photo mode. You can choose from 1,000 locations such as Tokyo, Mt. Fuji, the Monument Valley and Las Vegas to place your car and take a picture. Just like a regular camera, you can change some of the image's traits such as exposure, aperture, focal point and zoom. When you’re satisfied with the image, you can download it (in up to 4K) and share it on Facebook and Twitter.
In addition to the races, you can also follow some in-game prerequisites for a chance to earn a real FIA racing license. The details are still somewhat slim as to the overall process, but it’s quite a surprise to know that you can earn a real-world license by playing a video game.
For social features, you’ll have access to your own profile page to check on your progress as well as your friends’ activities. In addition, the game will have a companion app for smartphones, tablets and PCs so you can stay informed even when you’re not playing the game.
Coming Soon
With a November release date, you won’t have to wait long to try out the game, and it’s bound to show up next month at E3 so you won’t be starved for information for long. In addition to the standard version of the game, PlayStation will also have a Limited Version to celebrate the series’ debut on the PlayStation 4.
| Name | Gran Turismo Sport |
|---|---|
| Type | Racing, Simulation |
| Developer | Polyphony Digital |
| Publisher | PlayStation |
| Release Date | November 15, 2016 |
| Platforms | PlayStation 4 |
| Where To Buy | PlayStation StoreAmazonGameStop |
The special package will include a Limited Edition steelbook and packaging, an eight-car starter pack, $1 million of in-game credits, a livery sticker pack, thirty Gran Turismo Sport-themed avatars for the PS4, and a racing helmet for your driver profile. You can also pre-order the regular version of the game at GameStop, the PlayStation Store and Amazon to get access to other bonus in-game items.
Follow Rexly Peñaflorida II @Heirdeux. Follow us @tomshardware, on Facebook and on Google+.
