Gran Turismo’s Early Prototype on Original PlayStation Was “Too Advanced” to be Fun – Shuhei Yoshida

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The Gran Turismo series has consistently been a cornerstone franchise for PlayStation consoles since its inception. However, as per former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, the initial game might have been overly realistic, potentially making it less enjoyable.

During a chat with PlayStation Inside, Yoshida looked back fondly on one of his most memorable career experiences. This experience included a discussion with game designer Kazunori Yamauchi during the development phase of the original Gran Turismo for the first PlayStation. In this conversation, as well as after trying an early version of the game, Yoshida felt that it relied too heavily on its realistic gameplay.

Yoshida shared an often-overlooked triumph in his career, saying, “Let me share a story that I’ve never told before in public. This tale takes us back to the early stages of the original PlayStation, where Kazunori Yamauchi was developing the first ever Gran Turismo. Remember when the game was advertised as the ‘real driving simulator’? Well, it’s important to note that I’m not a game designer; my primary role is as a producer.

I had the privilege of being one of the earliest players of ‘Gran Turismo’, as Kazunori Yamauchi demonstrated a prototype during its development. Let me assure you, his passion for simulation was genuinely intense.

Initially, Yoshida found the prototype to be “exceptionally sophisticated.” Yet, it seemed that Yamauchi hadn’t incorporated the initial feedback he received. Later, they obtained more input from gamers to trial the game. According to Yoshida, each of these playtesters experienced a crash on their very first turn in the game, which was driving their cars.

He remarked that it was incredibly sophisticated, possibly even too complex. At first, Kazunori Yamauchi didn’t fully appreciate my suggestions, so he gathered around thirty gamers to playtest the game. As I had anticipated, they all encountered issues at the initial turn due to the challenging gameplay. Standing in the background with Kazunori Yamauchi, he eventually turned to me and admitted I was correct. This was when he decided to make some adjustments and lessen the realistic simulation aspect a bit, resulting in the version of Gran Turismo you’re familiar with on PS1.

I’d say I contributed to some extent in ensuring the success of Gran Turismo, and it feels great to have been a small piece of its overall story!

During the interview, Yoshida also discussed some of his most valued colleagues he collaborated with at PlayStation. He specifically mentioned Ken Kutaragi, often referred to as the ‘father’ of the PlayStation, and Akira Sato, co-founder of Sony Interactive Entertainment and head of in-house game development.

Yoshida stated, ‘Allow me to bring up two individuals.’ The first person is Ken Kutaragi, often referred to as the creator of the PlayStation. There’s not much more to add about him that hasn’t already been said. When I joined Sony, he was a key figure here, and his vision played a significant role in transforming our company into the dominant force it is in the video game industry today.’

Akira Sato is the individual referred to as the second person here. It’s also possible for me to bring up other professionals like Andrew House and Kaz Hirai, with whom I have collaborated closely.

Yoshida started working with PlayStation as early as 1993, even when the PlayStation team was just getting started. After spending over three decades with the company, it was announced in November 2024 that he would be leaving. Since then, Yoshida has been very open about his time at the company and shared a lot of insights.

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2025-05-05 19:11