Gran Turismo 7's Microtransactions & Prices Explained
The release of Gran Tursimo 7 has brought Polyphony Digital's signature racing series back to the single-player format many have been waiting for since 2013's Gran Turismo 6, but the fanfare has been dampened by the high prices of microtransactions. Many players were already frustrated by GT7's online requirement in a game that is mostly focused on single-player gameplay, and now the pricing of in-game currency is likely to sow more discontent. The microtransactions aren't strictly necessary to purchase cars in Gran Turismo 7, but the increase in asking price from a similar system in GT Sport is not sitting well with players who purchased the full-price, AAA racing game.
Microtransactions have become an expected part of most modern games, even those focused on single-player content. What began primarily as a means to digitally purchase expansion packs has morphed into a revenue stream centered around cosmetic items and other piecemeal content. Gran Turismo Sport, Polyphony Digital's previous, multiplayer-heavy game, embraced the microtransaction market by letting players purchase individual cars for usually anywhere between one and five dollars, with more coveted ones up to 10. Instead of letting players purchase Gran Turismo 7's many cars individually, Polyphony Digital has opted to make the in-game currency buyable in bulk.
On Gran Turismo 7's PlayStation Store page, there are currently four different batches of the in-game Credits that can be purchased. The credits are then used to buy cars in-game, some of which are more expensive than the highest amount offered through microtransactions. Credits are earned through racing as well, but some of the cars in GT7, especially those in the game's most expensive showroom, seem priced to incentivize spending some extra cash.
Here are the four current options for purchasing Gran Turismo 7 Credits through the PlayStation Store, with prices listed in U.S. Dollars:
- $2.49 - 100,000 Credits
- $4.99 - 250,000 Credits
- $9.99 - 750,000 Credits
- $19.99 - 2,000,000 Credits
Gran Turismo 7 has single cars for $40, costing more than 3,000,000 Credits, but those aren't expected to be the game's most expensive offerings. It's important to note that everything else in the game is bought with Credits as well. New components and paint jobs reach prices in the thousands of Credits.
Nothing is forcing players to buy extra Credits, but some cars costing two thirds the price of GT7's PS4 version is stretching the boundaries of the term "microtransactions." Those who don't want to spend any more real-life money will likely have to be judicious in their purchases, at least in the early stages of the game. Expansive collections of cars - especially classic and Legend Cars, as a premium category is called in the game - will likely only come once players have completed numerous races. Gran Turismo 7 reviewed very well across the board, but it would appear these microtransaction rates were hidden prior to release.
Source: PlayStation Store