Ep.173 – The Drive to Perfection: Racing Through the History of Gran Turismo

In 1997, Polyphony Digital released Gran Turismo, the PlayStation racer that turned driving into an obsession. In this episode, we trace Kazunori Yamauchi’s journey from hobbyist developer to the perfectionist behind Sony’s flagship simulation. We explore how the roots of Gran Turismo began inside Motor Toon Grand Prix, how Yamauchi’s five-year passion project redefined realism, and how Polyphony pushed the PlayStation to its limits through physics, photorealism, and precision. Our conversation dives into the series’ evolution—from Gran Turismo 2 to Gran Turismo 7—along with Polyphony’s real-world collaborations with Nissan and Yamauchi’s own racing career. Join us as we earn our licenses, tune our cars, and chase the checkered flag through Gran Turismo on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.