Gran Turismo 7is one of Sony’s biggest upcoming exclusives, bringing the racing sim franchise to the PlayStation 5 for the very first time. From Sony’s very first trailer forGran Turismo 7, fans knew that it would offer some of the most impressive visuals on next-gen consoles yet. But it seems that early trailer was at least somewhat of an overpromise.Gran Turismocreator Kazunori Yamauchi has since clarified thatGran Turismo 7will not feature ray tracing technology during gameplay.
That first trailer forGran Turismo 7likely stands out strongly in fans' minds. In a trailer, we see a beautifulPorsche 917with light dynamically reflected off its body. The sides of the trailer rise with mirrored reflections showing the Porsche 917 from multiple angles. It’s a gorgeous example of what ray tracing can add to a game, particularly for racing simulation titles likeGran Turismo 7where vehicle fidelity is a priority to players. That’s apparently not a priority forGran Turismo 7’s gameplay, however.
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Speaking with Japan’s Game Watch outlet, Yamauchi confirms that there are only limited ways thatray tracing is used inGran Turismo 7. Ray tracing can be applied toGran Turismo 7’s replay clips and within the game’s garage where players can stage their vehicles for viewing. In other words, ray tracing is used only in a very limited capacity, in situations where the PS5 isn’t dealing with gameplay processing.
While Yamauchi doesn’t explicitly state why this is, it’s obvious. Ray tracing requires a significant amount of processing power and that’s a valuable resource in the middle of gameplay. All Yamauchi does say is that adding ray tracing while training would be “really difficult.“Polyphony Digitalhas clearly chosen to prioritize using the PS5’s resources for other aspects of gameplay and visual fidelity, as exciting as ray tracing is.
The confirmation that ray tracing won’t be utilized inGran Turismo 7’s gameplay is likely to disappoint some fans who hoped for the opposite. After all, ray tracing was an oft-mentioned feature ahead of the arrival of next-gen consoles, andGran Turismo 7’s announcement trailer, in particular, teased ray tracing. Despite that, it seems the PS5 may not have been as ready for ray tracing as marketing may have wanted us to believe.
Ultimately, ray tracing may never be as everpresent in video games, regardless of platform, as many would like. Developers will always be able to find something else to prioritize over theresources ray tracing requires. It would be amazing forGran Turismo 7gameplay to have ray tracing, but it’s certain to be a better game overall without it as Polyphony Digital instead raises the game’s resolution and frame rate.
Gran Turismo 7releases June 09, 2025, on PS4 and PS5.
