Seven years after its original release, Gran Turismo Sport has been abruptly delisted from the PlayStation Store. While we knew the online servers are being shut down later this month, GT Sport was removed from the digital storefront with no warning from Sony or Polyphony Digital.
Gran Turismo Sport delisted from PlayStation Store
As spotted on Reddit, Gran Turismo Sport was removed from the PlayStation Store on 1 January. This means players looking to buy it will need to track down a physical copy.
Digital games being delisted due to licenses expiring or servers shutting down is nothing new. But considering that GT Sport’s servers are still active, this seems premature. GT Sport players won’t be able to race online for much longer, however.
Servers shutting down later this month
Back in September last year, Sony announced that GT Sport’s online services would end this month, with the servers shutting down on 31 January 2024.
After that, GT Sport’s online features, such as lobby races, the community hub, and Sport Mode, will no longer be accessible. All custom liveries, helmets, and racing suits will also be removed. As a result, garage cars with custom liveries will revert to their stock colours.
DLC for GT Sport, including cars, Scapes locations, and the Lewis Hamilton Time Trial Challenge, were removed from the PlayStation Store in December last year.
Can you still play Gran Turismo Sport offline?
While GT Sport is predominately online-focused, a post-launch update added a single-player campaign. Thankfully, Polyphony has confirmed that "offline portions of the game can still be played" after the servers are shut down.
However, GT Sport currently requires an online connection to save progress. We’re hoping Polyphony will remove this requirement when the servers are shut down.
Gran Turismo 7 also requires an online connection to access the GT Café campaign. This means you won't be able to play the single-player campaign when the servers eventually shut down unless Polyphony releases an offline patch.
GT Sport launched as a PS4 exclusive in October 2017. With a focus on online multiplayer and esports tournaments combined with a smaller car count than previous games, it’s one of the most divisive GT games. Polyphony is presumably trying to encourage GT Sport players to upgrade to GT7, which combines Sport Mode with a more complete single-player campaign, a larger car selection, and the return of classic tracks.
GT Sport’s delisting comes after Ubisoft recently confirmed The Crew’s online servers will shut down in March. Unlike GT Sport, The Crew is an online-only game, so it will be unplayable after the servers are shut down. It sets a worrying precedent for racing game preservation.
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