Stephen HollyGran Turismo 7 is the eighth mainline game in Polyphony Digital’s popular racing franchise. Many consider it Sony’s response to Xbox’s Forza Motorsport series, as both offer a more realistic racing experience with stunning visuals. Gran Turismo 7 was released on March 4, and it received a lot of positive feedback from both fans and critics, thanks to its multiple game modes, features, and hundreds of automobile and car customization choices.
Some fans have been harsher in their criticisms of Gran Turismo 7 in the weeks since its release. Though it is one of many exclusives that PlayStation fans have received or will receive in 2022, racing game players were particularly excited about this one. However, for others, the euphoria rapidly faded when it was revealed that, while Gran Turismo 7 would be jam-packed with content, microtransactions would alter the game’s traditional formula.
For two key reasons, Gran Turismo enthusiasts were dissatisfied with the introduction of microtransactions into the game. To begin with, cars may no longer be purchased directly; instead, a player will have to spend a set amount of credits in order to get the vehicle they choose. The second main complaint raised by fans is that the pricing appears to be significantly higher than in prior installments of the franchise. As a result, users have panned the game’s most recent update, which drastically lowered Gran Turismo 7’s incentives.
This means that players will have to work harder than before to earn the credits needed to purchase new vehicles. Furthermore, due to server maintenance, gamers were unable to connect into Gran Turismo 7 for hours due to difficulties with the current update. Polyphony Digital chose to take the servers offline to fix a continuous issue with Update 1.07 after discovering it. Polyphony’s relationship with its user base is likely to have taken a hit after feeling pushed toward microtransactions and then being unable to play the game at all.
Microtransactions are a common part of modern games, however they are frequently condemned by gamers as being too pricey and unfair. Although there has been a lot of pushback against microtransactions in recent years, it appears that Gran Turismo is still headed in the direction of more paid content, leaving some fans questioning if they should instead play some of the franchise’s prior releases.
Gran Turismo 7 is now available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
