No, Gran Turismo 7 Does Not Have an Open World or Free Roam

As an avid sim racing fan and content creator, one of the most common questions I see raised about Gran Turismo 7 is – does it have free roam or let you openly explore the game world?

The short answer is no. As a technical driving simulator focused on recreating an authentic racing experience, GT7 trades open world freedom for unparalleled attention to detail on closed circuits across a wealth of racing disciplines.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a massive breadth of content and modes to enjoy! Let‘s dive deeper into what GT7 offers and why an open world lies outside its vision.

GT7‘s Focus is Simulation – Not Exploration

As a passionate racing game fan, I‘ve followed Gran Turismo for years. It‘s clear that Polyphony Digital‘s primary aim is to recreate the feeling of driving real cars on real tracks. This requires maniacal attention to details like tire grip physics, aerodynamic modeling, engine sound design, and exacting track scanning.

Allowing open world free driving simply doesn‘t fit in with this laser focus on technical racing accuracy and attention to detail. As evidence, GT Sport director Kazunori Yamauchi stated in an interview:

"We want users to experience a game that really specializes in providing users with the experience of driving a racing car. We don’t want to create an experience where the users spend time walking their characters around."

So unlike arcade racers like Need for Speed or open world driving games like Forza Horizon 5 that let you freely cruise cities, GT7 keeps the focus narrowed. Every activity revolves around technical circuit racing – be it tuning setups, nailing apexes, or chasing lap records.

And for sim nuts like me – that‘s precisely the appeal!

Over 34 Locations and 100+ Track Layouts

Now I know the lack of free roaming or open world is a letdown for some. But there is a silver lining! While you can‘t just drive aimlessly, GT7 still provides a wealth of different circuits and track configurations to race on.

In total, the game includes 34 locations comprised of real-world circuits and fictional Gran Turismo originals. And many tracks have multiple layouts – like the 5 configs for fan-favorite Trial Mountain. Tally it up and there are over 100 variants to drive!

These run the gamut from twisty rallycross courses, high speed ovals, technical street tracks, and everything in between. So you‘ll always have new driving challenges to master as you progress through the single player campaign tiers.

Here‘s a neat data table summarizing some of the tracks available:

And this is just a small sample – there are tons more real and fictional circuits to drive!

Packed Single Player Career Mode

As a life-long racing game fan, I‘m thrilled Polyphony packed GT7 with robust single player content. I still fondly remember the hundreds of hours I poured into GT3 and GT4‘s campaigns!

GT7 continues that legacy with a massive career mode spanning over 60 hours (per HowLongToBeat) across 3 tiers of events. These include:

• World Circuits: Series‘ focused on racing disciplines – like Japanese compacts, hypercars, rally, NASCAR etc.
• Missions: 100+ skill challenges that build fundamental driving skills.
• License Tests: Pass driving exams by nailing tasks like clean laps or cornering.
• Circuit Experiences: Master the racing line sector-by-sector on all tracks.
• Custom Races: Tailor your own events – car class, opponents, track etc.

Completing events earns you prize cars, currency, and most importantly – unlocks higher tiers of the campaign. So as in past GT titles, it remains vital to skill up here before tackling online races.

And with over 420 cars to collect from 60+ automakers, building the ultimate dream garage remains a prime motivation!

Robust Online Multiplayer & Community Features

While new for GT7, I‘m also happy Polyphony amped up the multiplayer and community aspects that were foundations of GT Sport.

Daily races across 3 track/car combinations offer all the intense wheel-to-wheel competition I could want. The integrated FIA rating system also unlocks access to prestigiousManufacturer Cup special events.

Beyond racing, players can share custom liveries, tuning setups, replay footage and photos through GT7‘s Scapes mode. Judging by the over 6 million shared screenshots, this vibrant customization community will only grow!

I‘m hopeful these social and online features will see continued evolution via updates too. As GT Sport demonstrated over its 5+ year lifespan, Polyphony plans for the long haul.

Authentic Simulation – At the Cost of Open Exploration

At the end of the day as an avid racing fan, I totally understand Polyphony‘s laser focus on authentic simulation content over an open world. This adherence to quality over quantity aligns with the series‘ ethos since the PlayStation 1 era.

And by keeping the scope narrowed, Polyphony pours immense attention into what matters most – an incredibly broad roster of cars and the most detailed driving experience possible.

As evidence, GT7 sets a new high watermark for recreation of aspects like:

• Sound Design: Over 3,700 custom car engine audio samples recorded from real cars.
• Car Interiors: Precisely scanned cockpits for unprecedented visibility and gauges.
• Handling Physics: Rewritten tire and suspension modeling for over 2,000 vehicle configurations.
• Dynamic Weather: Rain, snow, and time-of-day affects grip – tailored per track!
• Haptic Support: DualSense trigger resistance adapts to car weight and cornering g‘s.

This maniacal focus on racing authenticity simply doesn‘t mesh with allowing open world exploration or unnecessary scope creep.

The result is the most technical and true-to-life Gran Turismo ever – albeit at the sacrifice of freely roaming the map.

Compare to Forza Horizon for Driving Freedom

For those craving open world driving freedom, games like Xbox‘s Forza Horizon series clearly serve that need.

The latest Forza Horizon 5 lets players freely explore a massive 400 sq mi map of recreated Mexico with over 300 cars. Barn finds, danger signs, PR stunts – this is the pinnacle of open world driving playgrounds!

But unlike GT7, the trade-off here is reduced focus on technical racing simulation in favor of accessible driving and exploration. And Horizon‘s arcade handling doesn‘t scratch my sim racing itch!

So at the end of the day, there are clear options catered for both driving simulation nuts like myself and those craving unrestrained open world automotive freedom.

GT7 stands firmly in the former camp – hopefully that helps explain the lack of a free roam mode! But within its focused scope delivering true-to-life circuit racing, Gran Turismo 7 has never been better thanks to PS5 power.