Gran Turismo (GT) is a series of racing simulation video games developed by Polyphony Digital. Released on PlayStation systems, Gran Turismo games are intended to emulate the appearance and performance of a large selection of vehicles, most of which are licensed reproductions of real-world automobiles. Since the franchise's debut in 1997, over 90 million units have been sold worldwide, making it the best selling video game franchise under the PlayStation brand. An adapted film based on the series and Jann Mardenborough's career was released in August 2023 and directed by Neill Blomkamp.
Gameplay from the first Gran Turismo featuring a Mitsubishi FTO GPX on the fictional Trial Mountain Circuit.
Official Gran Turismo kit with GT Force and Racing Cockpit
The Citroen GT at 2008 Paris Motor Show
The Lamborghini Lambo V12 Vision Gran Turismo at the Museo Lamborghini.
Simulated racing or racing simulation, commonly known as simply sim racing, are the collective terms for racing game software that attempts to accurately simulate auto racing, complete with real-world variables such as fuel usage, damage, tire wear and grip, and suspension settings. To be competitive in sim racing, a driver must understand all aspects of car handling that make real-world racing so difficult, such as threshold braking, how to maintain control of a car as the tires lose traction, and how properly to enter and exit a turn without sacrificing speed. It is this level of difficulty that distinguishes sim racing from arcade racing-style driving games where real-world variables are taken out of the equation and the principal objective is to create a sense of speed as opposed to a sense of realism.
Jann Mardenborough, a sim racer, became a professional Nissan racing driver by playing Gran Turismo.
Many cars are digitally recreated for sim racing like this BMW Z4 GT3 from Assetto Corsa.
Gameplay from the first Gran Turismo featuring a Mitsubishi FTO GPX