Sony has announced a free game is coming on Friday, December 6 as part of PlayStation’s 30th anniversary celebrations – My First Gran Turismo.
It’s an edited version of Gran Turismo 7 but still features multiple modes and 18 cars.
My First Gran Turismo can also be played in virtual reality, using a PS VR2 headset. It will be available to download from December 6.
The most obvious element that marks My Gran Turismo as just a sampler instead of a full game is the number of tracks. There are just three: Kyoto Driving Park, Deep Forest Raceway, and Trial Mountain Circuit.
However, developer Polyphony Digital has squeezed a good amount out of each of them. As well as taking part in race cups, time trials and the License Centre, which features lessons in how to drive properly, there are Music Rally challenges.
This is where you drive to a song, and see how far you can get before it ends. There are three Music Rally events, three race cups, three time trials and 14 License Centre challenges.
Cars to add you your collection include the Mazda RX-7, Contact LP400, Audi TT, Ferrari 308, Porsche 911 Turbo and the classic starter car of many a racing game, the Mini Cooper S.
If you get hooked, you can also transfer the cars you unlock to the full Gran Turismo 7 game, which was released in March 2022. It now features more than 500 cars in total, and 37 track locations.
“Whether it’s introducing kids to the joy of racing for the first time or reigniting a forgotten passion for driving, My First Gran Turismo was designed to be both approachable and immersive, created for everyone, with no limits on age or driving-skill level,” said Kazunori Yamauchi, president of Polyphony Digital.
This is a relatively realistic driving simulation rather than an arcade racer, but the focus on accessibility suggests there will be a good amount of driving aids to ease the learning curve.
My First Gran Turismo will be available for PS4 and PS5 on Friday (December 6).
