The active player count in Sony Interactive Entertainment and Polyphony Digital’s sim racing game, Gran Turismo 7, has doubled since the arrival of the Spec II update.
During a tri-lingual round-table interview at the GT World Series Finals in Barcelona (via), Gran Turismo series creator and director Kazunori Yamauchi was asked regarding the game’s sales performance and community presence. In response, he stated that Gran Turismo 7 has been a success, and that the game has been able to maintain a “really high” active player count since its release.
Yamauchi mentioned that strong community presence is something very unique to the Gran Turismo 7 that other titles in the genre have not been able to see. The player base was substantial increased following the launch of Gran Turismo 7 Spec II in November, 2023. “When we released the Spec II update, the number of active users jumped up to double of what it was before that,” Yamauchi stated. “I’ve heard in the video game industry that is quite rare.”
This update, the game’s most extensive since its March 2022 release, included seven additional cars, a new snowy rally track, fresh single-player content, a rotating set of “Weekly Challenges,” new license tests, four-player split screen, enhancements to Photomode and Scapes, and the introduction of the Gran Turismo Sophy 2.0 AI system.
For the uninitiated, Gran Turismo 7 is the eighth main installment and thirteenth overall in the Gran Turismo series. It was released on March 4, 2022, for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, marking the series’ first multi-console release. The game also introduced virtual reality support for PlayStation VR2 through a free in-game update. Key features include the return of the single-player campaign, GT Simulation Mode, and the revival of traditional elements such as racing tracks, vehicles, Special Events, Championships, Driving School, Tuning Parts Shop, Used Cars dealership, and GT Auto. Additionally, the game incorporates new features introduced in Gran Turismo Sport, such as GT Sport Mode, Brand Central, and Discover (now labeled Showcase).
