Gran Turismo 7
What's That Other Elephant Doing Over There In The Corner?
As I knock out these menu items in Gran Turismo 7, a realization looms over me with every new visit to the cafe. The game isn't getting any easier, in fact, the AI drivers are slowly beginning to size me up. They hadn't suddenly become better drivers, mind, their cars are beefier than before. This is due to the events that open up which give the players gift cars. At first, cars within the requirement of 350 PP were the norm. Now, they are up to 600 PP and will only increase in power requirements from there. Sure you could use your prized car, but you better hope it's not under any restrictions.
I realized during the Alsace tournament that my Renault Clio, the prize car I won from the National B license, wasn't dominating races as before. I'd barely scrape by or I'd find myself relying on cheap tricks to earn first place. "A dub is a dub," I tell myself, but I find myself fighting uphill battles no pun intended (Alsace is full of elevation changes). I need to upgrade my cars so I can remain in competitive shape, but the amount I spend on parts is way more than the amount I'm earning per race. I haven't been through the wringer yet in Gran Turismo, but let's just say that the free 100k I received has dried up.
Pay To Win??? In MY Gran Turismo???
What better option to take when your in-game money is in a pinch than to throw your wallet at the game and earn as many zeros as you require at the end of the number? That's right, Polyphony Digital sold their souls to the devil and included microtransactions in a series that had historically given away content for free! The company that was anti-microtransactions forever now suddenly became part of a problem! Whatever shall we do! Nothing.
I'll admit that I never knew this option existed nor was it an issue until a friend of mine brought it to my attention. Sure enough, there are people even using clickbaity titles to highlight the "root" of the problem. I found one such creative endeavor from a fellow YouTuber who had the title "How To Get 2,000,000 Credits In 6 Seconds!" This is followed by him going to the top-up menu, purchasing two million credits for $20 USD, and then discussing the problem with microtransactions. This was the video that made me whip up a reply as I felt the premise was creative, but it brings up a point about modern gaming.
Grab Your Mortar And Pestle Because It's Time To Grind
I've touched upon the difference between Forza and Gran Turismo's way of progression in yesterday's Coffee Break. (That's what I'll call this series, isn't it great?) Basically, one game spoils the player with resources while the other praises them for perseverance. In Forza, earning credits is a non-issue as there's always some "get rich quick" method to keep the money flowing in. Horizon 4 had the "Porsche money glitch" in which players used a Porsche 911 to make an endless profit. Gran Turismo was no stranger to this as well, especially in Gran Turismo 4 where the player could win prize cars from events, sell them, redo the event, and sell the car again.
Perhaps this is why Polyphony Digital removed the option of selling cars this time around to compensate for giving away cars via cup events. While removing the ability to sell cars is something I don't agree with, as I'd like to have multiple cars for different set-ups, it eliminates a cheap way to earn credits. Wanna earn credits outside of the copious amounts the game gives you from doing Cafe menus and Daily Workout? Start grinding races. The value never goes down so it's easy to find a race the player is comfortable with and repeat as long as your heart desires.
So, How Is This Not Bad? Because You're Not The Target Audience
Simply put, Gran Turismo 7 is not pay to win and the reason people are complaining about MT's is because the option is there. It's no different than any other title that has this feature. Some players only have a certain amount of time a day and the easy solution is to top-up. After all, time is money and it is the most valuable resource anyone can have. For gamers who are playing Gran Turismo 7 to experience all it has to offer, the grind is worth it. The more the player hammers out a course, it begins to grow on them after a while.
Right now, Sardegna is a major thorn with its short complex corners and lack of wiggle room. If I were to farm an event located in Sardegna, knowing I'd win a fixed amount of credits if I podium, I'd not only earn credits but I'd learn the track. If it becomes too much, it's always valid to step away from the game or do something else to break the monotony.
There's always something to do in Gran Turismo 7 and with the amount you earn, you'll have enough to squeeze a bit more potential out of your car and find yourself in a favorable position again. Let Polyphony Digital earn some cash from its target audience and leave the gaming and sense of fulfillment to us fans, okay?
Gran Turismo 7 is out on PS4 and PS5