GameTimeline

Release & story order

Gran Turismo timeline

Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo from GT1 (1998) through Gran Turismo 7 (2022)—US release dates for every major numbered entry plus Gran Turismo Sport, no fiction timeline, PSP portable spin-offs in FAQ, and where racing fans should start in 2026.

Updated August 2026

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Release order Story order

Release order

When Polyphony Digital shipped each major Gran Turismo in the US—GT1 (1998) through GT7 (2022), plus Gran Turismo Sport (2017). PSP entries and GT7 DLC stay FAQ-only.

  • Play today → Gran Turismo 7 on PS5 / PS4—the current live-service sim
  • Retro marathon → GT1 through GT6 in release order on legacy hardware or classics
  • Sport → online-focused stopgap before GT7—see FAQ for overlap
  • PSP Gran Turismo and GT Mobile stay FAQ-only—not mainline rows
Story order tips

Gran Turismo has no shared plot—each entry is a standalone driving simulator with licensed cars and tracks. Story order mirrors Release for historical context only.

  • No narrative links—pick GT7 if you only buy one game
  • Car roster grows each generation—Release order shows franchise evolution
  • Sport and GT7 both ran online esports—GT7 superseded Sport for new players
  • Story order equals Release order by design

Timeline

When each game was released. Click a game for platforms, dates, and where it fits in your playthrough.

Release order

  1. Gran Turismo

    Gran Turismo

    PS1RacingSimMainline

    Franchise debut—realistic driving physics on PlayStation.

    Overview
    Kazunori Yamauchi's sim racer with license cars, tuning, and gold-license tests.
    In-game setting
    Gran Turismo 1 (often called GT1)—historic but hardware-dated today.
    Should you play it?
    Series origin—nostalgia play unless you collect PS1 classics.
    Release date
    US PS1 May 12, 1998.
  2. Gran Turismo 2

    Gran Turismo 2

    PS1RacingSimMainline

    Expanded car list—Arcade and Simulation mode split on PS1.

    Overview
    Roughly double the cars of GT1 with rally and street divisions.
    In-game setting
    Second numbered entry—still PS1 era.
    Should you play it?
    Retro milestone—optional unless completing the full GT history.
    Release date
    US PS1 December 23, 1999.
  3. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

    Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

    PS2RacingSimMainline

    PS2 leap—fewer cars but sharper visuals and handling.

    Overview
    Flagship PS2 launch-era sim—license tests and endurance races return.
    In-game setting
    First GT on PS2—many players' introduction to the series.
    Should you play it?
    Classic GT benchmark—PS2 nostalgia favorite.
    Release date
    US PS2 July 10, 2001.
  4. Gran Turismo 4

    Gran Turismo 4

    PS2RacingSimMainline

    Bumper Mode career and photo mode on PS2.

    Overview
    Massive car roster, B-Spec manager mode, and GPS-accurate track layouts.
    In-game setting
    Longest GT development cycle of its era—deep single-player grind.
    Should you play it?
    Peak PS2 GT—still played via emulation or legacy hardware.
    Release date
    US PS2 February 22, 2005.
  5. Gran Turismo 5

    Gran Turismo 5

    PS3RacingSimMainline

    PS3 debut—damage modeling and online racing.

    Overview
    First GT on PS3 with 3D support, kart and NASCAR experiments, and slow-burn updates.
    In-game setting
    Premium vs Standard car controversy—still a huge roster for its time.
    Should you play it?
    PS3-era GT—superseded by GT6 and later GT7 for online.
    Release date
    US PS3 November 24, 2010.
  6. Gran Turismo 6

    Gran Turismo 6

    PS3RacingSimMainline

    Final major PS3 GT—vision GT concepts and improved physics.

    Overview
    Community events, improved AI, and a bridge before PS4 Sport.
    In-game setting
    Last numbered GT on PS3—servers eventually sunset; offline remains.
    Should you play it?
    End of the PS3 GT era—collectors and legacy players only today.
    Release date
    US PS3 December 6, 2013.
  7. Gran Turismo Sport

    Gran Turismo Sport

    PS4RacingSimOnline

    Online-first PS4 GT—FIA partnership and esports focus.

    Overview
    Always-online emphasis, sports-car-only roster at launch, and manufacturer cups.
    In-game setting
    Not numbered GT8—parallel PS4 entry before GT7. Smaller offline campaign than classic GT.
    Should you play it?
    Superseded for newcomers by GT7—still relevant for Sport-only veterans.
    Release date
    US PS4 October 17, 2017.
  8. Gran Turismo 7

    Gran Turismo 7

    PS5PS4RacingSimMainline

    Current mainline GT—campaign Café, VR support, and live updates.

    Overview
    Return to classic GT structure blended with Sport-style online and ray-traced modes on PS5.
    In-game setting
    Default 2026 entry—ongoing car and track DLC via updates.
    Should you play it?
    Start here if you only buy one Gran Turismo.
    Release date
    US PS5 / PS4 March 4, 2022.

FAQ

Release order for mainline GT simulators, Sport vs GT7, PSP spin-offs out of scope, and links to other racing timelines.

Play order

They list the same games in the same sequence. Release order is when Polyphony shipped each major Gran Turismo in the US (1998–2022). Story order duplicates Release because GT games have no shared narrative—each is a standalone driving simulator.

Most players only need Gran Turismo 7 on PS5 or PS4. Historians can marathon GT1 → GT2 → GT3 → GT4 → GT5 → GT6 → Sport → GT7 in release order on legacy hardware or classics collections. GT7 alone covers modern online and campaign content.

No. Gran Turismo games do not continue one plot—only car rosters, physics, and modes evolve. Follow Release order if you want franchise history, or jump to GT7 for the modern experience.

What's included

Gran Turismo Sport (2017, PS4) was an online-first spin on the formula—not numbered GT8. Gran Turismo 7 (2022, PS5 / PS4) merges classic GT campaign structure with Sport-style online. New buyers should get GT7; Sport is legacy unless you already invested in its esports scene.

Gran Turismo (PSP) (2009), Gran Turismo Mobile, and other portable experiments are not mainline numbered entries on this page—kept FAQ-only to keep Release manageable. Play GT7 for the current full sim; PSP is optional retro context.

Optional & related

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.