Passion project to powerhouse: how PlayStation’s Gran Turismo game became a bestseller, and its potential virtual reality future on the PS5x

The racing simulation game was the fruit of a boyhood vision by project director Kazunori Yamauchi

The series has grossed more than US$4 billion and sold more than 80 million units since the first game was released

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A still from a Gran Turismo game. The bestselling franchise in Sony PlayStation history began as a passion project 25 years ago. Photo: Sony

Published: 3:00pm, 9 Dec 2019Updated: 7:47pm, 9 Dec 2019

In an office building in the heart of Tokyo, a handful of game developers spent the early 1990s working tirelessly, year after year. They would sleep under their desks, and seasons would change without them noticing.

After more than five years of labour, the small team produced one of the most successful games in the history of Sony’s PlayStation, a console that last week celebrated its 25th anniversary.

The game, Gran Turismo, a realistic racing simulation, would become the single bestselling title for the first PlayStation console, with more than 10 million units sold.

It also marked the birth a series that has grossed more than US$4 billion in revenue. With seven Guinness World Records (including most cars in a racing game, achieved by Gran Turismo 6 with a total of 1,237) and collective sales of more than 80 million units, Gran Turismo has made a mark in both the automotive industry and games industry, becoming PlayStation’s bestselling exclusive franchise of all time.

Kazunori Yamauchi inside a Lotus Ayrton Senna at Ascari racetrack during the launch of Gran Turismo 6. Photo: AFP

It continues to be a labour of love for the team at Polyphony Digital, an internal video game studio of Sony Interactive Entertainment, which expanded from its original five developers to a team of more than 170 today.