Gran Turismo 7 is doing something unprecedented in racing game history. Nearly four years after its March 2022 launch, the PlayStation exclusive is maintaining over 2 million monthly active users, and that number is actually still climbing. Series producer Kazunori Yamauchi dropped this revelation during a media roundtable at the Gran Turismo World Series 2025 World Finals in Fukuoka, Japan, and his comments suggest even he’s surprised by the sustained momentum.
The achievement is remarkable not just for its scale but for defying typical game lifecycle patterns. Most titles see player counts decline steadily after launch, with only a handful of live service games maintaining long-term engagement. For a premium racing sim to be growing its player base years after release represents something genuinely unusual in the industry.
A Phenomenon Polyphony Has Never Seen
During the interview, Yamauchi didn’t hide his astonishment at the numbers. He stated that GT7 has been released for several years but still maintains over 2 million monthly active users, with both loyal veterans and brand new players joining the community. What makes this particularly notable is his admission that Polyphony Digital has never experienced this phenomenon with any previous Gran Turismo title.
Even more surprising, according to Yamauchi, is that PlayStation itself hasn’t seen this pattern before either. The combination of sustained high player counts, continuous growth four years post-launch, and minimal price reductions creates what he called a very unique situation. Most games either drop prices aggressively to maintain sales or see engagement fall off a cliff within the first year.
This success has enabled Polyphony Digital to take on different challenges they couldn’t attempt before. The team maintains an ongoing list of features and content they’d like to add, but whether those ideas come to life depends on factors like sales performance and active user counts. With GT7 sitting in its healthiest position ever for a Gran Turismo game, the development team has green lights for ambitious projects.
What’s Driving the Numbers
The recent Spec III update appears to have given player counts another significant boost. Released on December 4, 2024, Spec III brought sweeping quality of life improvements alongside fresh content including eight new vehicles, additional tracks like Eiger Nordwand, and the controversial first paid DLC in series history, the Power Pack.
That Power Pack DLC introduces unique race formats and modified vehicles that change how players approach familiar content. While charging for additional content in a full-price game always generates discussion, Yamauchi indicated the strong player base gives them confidence to experiment with new monetization and content delivery approaches they couldn’t risk with smaller audiences.
Free monthly or near-monthly updates have been the backbone of GT7’s longevity strategy. The game receives consistent content drops including new cars, tracks, physics improvements, and evolving game modes like online Time Trials, Weekly Challenges, and the competitive Sport Mode. This cadence keeps the experience fresh without fragmenting the player base.
Previous major updates also demonstrated the power of substantial content drops. When Spec II launched in November 2023, Yamauchi revealed that active user numbers doubled almost immediately. That precedent suggested the development team learned how to deliver updates that genuinely re-engage lapsed players rather than just maintaining existing fans.
GT Sport Laid the Groundwork
This sustained success didn’t happen by accident. Yamauchi credited the team’s experience with Gran Turismo Sport as crucial preparation for GT7’s live service approach. GT Sport, released in 2017 as a spin-off focused heavily on online competition, started relatively light on content and features but was built out extensively over subsequent years.
Through that process, Polyphony Digital discovered a methodology for maintaining titles at very high quality through continuous communication with users. The lessons learned from GT Sport’s evolution directly informed how the studio handles GT7. Rather than shipping a complete product and moving on, the team treats GT7 as an extension of the GT Sport experience, continuously refining and expanding based on community feedback.
This represents a fundamental shift in how Polyphony Digital approaches game development. Previous numbered Gran Turismo entries followed traditional models where development ended at launch aside from occasional patches. GT Sport pioneered the ongoing development model for the franchise, and GT7 perfected it by combining that live service framework with the complete Gran Turismo experience fans wanted.
Overcoming Rocky Launch Controversy
The current success story is particularly impressive given GT7’s troubled launch period. In March 2022, shortly after release, the game suffered extended server outages that made the always-online title essentially unplayable for over 24 hours. Making matters worse, when servers returned, an update had slashed payouts for the most lucrative in-game events.
The community backlash was swift and brutal. Players review-bombed GT7 on Metacritic, with the user score plummeting to 2.8 as complaints piled up about microtransactions, inability to resell cars, always-online requirements, and what felt like deliberate grinding mechanics designed to push players toward real-money purchases.
Yamauchi issued a public apology and explanation, defending the in-game economy by arguing that car pricing needed to reflect real-world values to convey rarity and importance. He insisted the game was designed to let players enjoy lots of cars and races without microtransactions, though many players felt the economy told a different story.
That the game recovered from such a disastrous launch period to reach its current heights demonstrates both the quality of the core experience and Polyphony Digital’s commitment to addressing player concerns through ongoing updates. Many games never recover from early controversies, but GT7 apparently delivered enough value to rebuild trust.
The Franchise Milestone
GT7’s individual success contributes to a broader franchise achievement. PlayStation recently announced that the Gran Turismo series has officially surpassed 100 million copies sold worldwide since the original game launched in Japan in December 1997. This makes Gran Turismo the best-selling first-party PlayStation franchise in history.
How much of that 100 million comes specifically from GT7 remains unclear, but the game’s sustained engagement suggests healthy ongoing sales. Most racing sims struggle to maintain relevance beyond hardcore enthusiast circles, but Gran Turismo continues finding mainstream success across generations.
The 2 million monthly active users figure should position GT7 as the most popular sim or simulation-style driving title currently on the market. Competitors like Forza Motorsport, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and iRacing serve dedicated fanbases but likely don’t match these engagement numbers. GT7’s accessibility combined with depth creates broader appeal than pure hardcore sims.
What Comes Next
With GT7 sitting at peak engagement nearly four years post-launch, the big question is how long Polyphony Digital can maintain this momentum. The Power Pack DLC experiment will provide valuable data about whether the community accepts paid content alongside the ongoing free updates, or if it triggers backlash similar to the launch period economy controversy.
Yamauchi’s comments about enabled challenges suggest bigger projects may be in development. The sustained player base and continued sales provide budget justification for substantial feature additions that wouldn’t make sense for a declining game. Whether that means major expansions, new game modes, or groundwork for Gran Turismo 8 remains to be seen.
The always-online requirement that frustrated players at launch now enables Polyphony Digital to track engagement metrics in real-time and respond with targeted updates. Every race completed, every car purchased, and every mode played generates data the team uses to refine the experience. This feedback loop is crucial for maintaining quality through continuous updates.
Looking ahead, GT7’s success provides a blueprint for how racing games and simulation titles can maintain long-term relevance. The combination of consistent free content, occasional paid expansions, competitive online modes, and ongoing quality improvements creates a sustainable model that keeps players invested for years rather than months.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many monthly active users does Gran Turismo 7 have?
Gran Turismo 7 currently maintains over 2 million monthly active users nearly four years after its March 2022 launch, according to series producer Kazunori Yamauchi. This number is still growing rather than declining.
When did Gran Turismo 7 release?
Gran Turismo 7 launched on March 4, 2022, for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The game arrived as the mainline series returned after Gran Turismo Sport’s online-focused spin-off approach.
What is the Spec III update for GT7?
The Spec III update released on December 4, 2024, bringing eight new vehicles, additional tracks including Eiger Nordwand, quality of life improvements, and the Power Pack paid DLC featuring unique race formats and modified vehicles.
How many copies has Gran Turismo sold total?
The Gran Turismo franchise has surpassed 100 million copies sold worldwide since the original game launched in 1997, making it PlayStation’s best-selling first-party franchise in history.
Is Gran Turismo 7 always online?
Yes, Gran Turismo 7 requires an always-online connection for most game modes. Only arcade mode and two-player split-screen function offline. This requirement was controversial at launch and remains a sticking point for some players.
Why did Gran Turismo 7 get review bombed?
GT7 was review-bombed in March 2022 after extended server outages made the game unplayable, followed by an update that reduced in-game currency payouts. Players felt the economy was designed to push microtransactions, leading to widespread backlash.
Does Gran Turismo 7 have paid DLC?
Yes, the Power Pack became GT7’s first paid DLC when it launched alongside the Spec III update in December 2024. Previously, all content updates had been free, making this a new monetization approach for the franchise.
What platforms is Gran Turismo 7 available on?
Gran Turismo 7 is available exclusively on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. The game features enhanced performance and ray tracing capabilities on PS5 while maintaining full feature parity on PS4.
A Racing Game Success Story
Gran Turismo 7’s journey from controversial launch to sustained success four years later demonstrates the power of committed post-launch support and community engagement. Polyphony Digital didn’t abandon the game when early reception turned sour. Instead, they doubled down on improvements, listened to feedback, and delivered consistent value through ongoing updates.
The 2 million monthly active users milestone represents vindication of that approach. Players forgave the rocky start because the core racing experience delivered the depth and authenticity the franchise is known for. Combined with regular content drops that keep the game feeling fresh, GT7 created a virtuous cycle where engaged players attract new users, justifying continued development investment.
For an industry increasingly focused on live service models and games-as-platforms, Gran Turismo 7 offers a case study in doing it right. Not every game needs to chase Fortnite’s numbers or adopt exploitative monetization. Sometimes, building something excellent, supporting it consistently, and respecting your community is enough to create lasting success. Four years in and still growing, GT7 proves that approach can work spectacularly well.