Gran Turismo Sport Wants To Make You A Race Car Driver
By Kelly G.
Gran Turismo Sport races to PS4 on November 15th and aims at bridging the gap between eSports racing and the real thing.
I’ll admit, when Gran Turismo (GT) first debuted on the PlayStation console way back in 1997, it blew me away. With its awesome graphics, a large number of licensed vehicles, and accurate driving physics, I immediately became a “fanboy” of the series. There simply wasn’t a better game on the market at the time. Fast forward to 2016 and the GT series has sold a record-setting 76 million copies and has taken home numerous gaming awards along the way. The makers of GT announced this week that on November 15, Gran Turismo will attempt to take eSports racing to a new level with the announcement of Gran Turismo Sport. What makes GT Sport such a game changer is that this game is one of the first console racing games to be officially sponsored by FIA (aka the “real world” international racing community). This partnership looks to “bridge the gap” between eSports racing and the professional racing world.
Sure there have been plenty of collaborations with video games and the auto industry (did you know that the makers of Gran Turismo, Polyphony Digital actually helped design parts of the Nissan GTR’s interior), but to have the backing of the actual governing body of motorsports is a huge endorsement for eSports racing. So what does this mean to gamers and car enthusiasts? Well, FIA has announced that by progressing through the game in Grand Turismo Sport, you can obtain a real racing license that is valid at real motorsports venues in 22 countries! GT Sport will also be hosting a fully approved race championship at both the national and manufactural level. At the end of both series, the champions will be recognized at the real FIA awards ceremony.
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Now let’s just think about this for a second. You know I am always talking about how expensive racing can be. But now there is a real opportunity for everyday car enthusiasts to become real racers. GT claims your progression through the game will not only look at your racing skills, but will factor in things like track etiquette and consistency which will not only make you a better eSports racer, but a better real world racer as well.
Check out the YouTube video by Carfection:
Gran Turismo Sport Gameplay Trailer:
Even though Polyphony Digital has not released how this is going to “exactly” work, I am excited to see how it plays out. The game is not scheduled to be released until November 15th, but we will be keeping a close eye on any updates here at Art of Gears. So what do you guys think? Is this level of competition something that you want to see in a video game? Do you think you have what it takes to go for the racing license? If so, leave your thoughts in the comments section below or tweet to us @ArtofGears. I hope to see you on the track opening day. If you want more info on Gran Turismo Sport, check out the official website here.