Lack of Gran Turismo 7 PS4 gameplay is an issue

Sony lifted the bonnet on GT7 in last night’s State of Play show, but there was once again a complete lack of Gran Turismo 7 PS4 gameplay.

As expected, we got a deep dive into the new single-player Campaign Mode, with the return of Used Car Dealerships, Tuning, and a new GT Cafe mode introducing new players to the vast world of GT7.

Sony also showed off GT7’s impressive dynamic weather and revealed a new quirky Music Rally mode. State of Play gave Gran Turismo fans exactly what they wanted. Except for seeing the game run on PS4.

Still no Gran Turismo 7 PS4 gameplay

Sony showed over 30 minutes of GT7 gameplay in State of Play. But every second of footage was either captured on PS5 or cinematic. With only a month until launch, it’s concerning that Sony still hasn’t shown any GT7 PS4 gameplay at this late stage.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNwhpSsGsnM

It makes sense for Sony to push its shiny new console. With its stunning 4K graphics, 3D audio, and immersive DualSense features, GT7 is a technological showpiece for PS5. For racing game fans, it’s going to be a system-seller for the PS5.

Or at least it would be if you could buy a PS5 right now. Thanks to the global chip shortage, PS5s are still in short supply. To ease the demand for the PS5,  Sony is reportedly extending PS4 production by another year.

Since the PS5 launched in November 2020, Sony has sold over 17 million units. It’s already outsold the Wii U’s lifetime sales. But the PS4 has sold over 116 million units, making it the fourth best-selling home console of all time. As a result, more people will play GT7 on PS4 and get a compromised experience.

The original PS4 is nine years old now. It goes without saying that the PS4 version won’t match the performance and visual fidelity of GT7 on PS5. The PS4 version likely has graphics and performance modes, running at 30 fps with graphics prioritised or 60 fps at a lower resolution. But Sony still hasn’t clarified this. To make GT7 run smoothly on PS4, compromises will have been made.

Sony has also shown how the PS5 DualSense controller technology will enhance the immersion for players using a controller. Adaptive triggers simulate the vibrations of anti-lock braking systems and haptic feedback allows you to feel bumps in the road surface. It remains to be seen how GT7 will utilise the DualShock 4, but PS4 players will miss out on a fundamental part of the gameplay experience.

Should racers worry?

State of Play was an opportunity to reassure PS4 players that GT7 won’t struggle to run on the old hardware. Sony should have shown a direct comparison comparing the PS4 and PS5 versions. At least then people who preordered GT7 will know what they’re getting on day one.

After all, we’re still haunted by Cyberpunk 2077’s troubled launch on last-generation consoles. A similar disaster at launch would be damaging for a brand as big as Gran Turismo.

It’s unlikely that Sony will let this happen, though. GT7 is a first-party game after all. Polyphony has been working on GT7 for many years, so there has been plenty of time to optimise the game for PS4. Development of GT7 started straight after the release of GT Sport in 2017. It makes you wonder if GT7 was originally intended to be a PS4 game before PS5 enhancements were added. As a result, don’t expect GT7’s graphics to be a significant upgrade over GT Sport.

It’s bewildering that Sony still hasn’t shown what GT7 looks like on the platform most people will play it on, but there’s still time before launch. Those who preorder the GT7 Anniversary Edition on PS5 will receive a free download code for the PS4 version. If you’re planning to get a PS5 in the future, this could be a wise move.