--- title: "Why Gran Turismo Sport’s Final Update Bodes Well for GT7’s Preservation" description: "GT Sport, like Gran Turismo 7, requires internet to save. But now that its servers are going dark, that requirement is being removed." date: "2024-01-30" modified: "2024-01-30" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/why-gran-turismo-sports-final-update-bodes-well-for-gt7s-preservation" categories: - "Culture" - "News" - "Video Games" --- # Why Gran Turismo Sport’s Final Update Bodes Well for GT7’s Preservation ![]() *\Sony Interactive Entertainment\* On January 31 at 1 a.m. Eastern, *[Gran Turismo Sport's]()* servers will be shut down for good. While it's always disappointing when a game's online component is eventually killed off, there's actually a silver lining to *GT Sport's* end of life: developer Polyphony Digital has announced that it's removing the title's internet connection requirement for saving, so that its single-player component is still playable going forward. The good news came via [an update on *GT Sport's* official website]() Monday. The bulletin explains that while "it will no longer be possible to utilize online services such as the Community, Open Lobby, and the Sport mode, nor online features/items such as custom liveries" after the end of service date, "the offline portions of the game can still be played, including all previously purchased Downloadable Content. Additionally, all gameplay progression will continue to be saved through Saved Data on the PlayStation 4 system." See, up until now, you've pretty much needed an internet connection to enjoy *GT Sport* at all, even if you weren't racing other players. Sure, *technically* you could do single-player missions and the GT League campaign mode even while disconnected, but the game wouldn't allow you to save your progress until the next time you came online. Polyphony always justified it as an anti-tampering measure; whether it annoyed players or not, it made sense, because *GT Sport* began the franchise's partnership with the FIA as its official esports partner. ![]() *Fun fact: *GT Sport's* manufacturer pages looked like this in development, but not in the final game. Sony Interactive Entertainment* In all honesty, *[Gran Turismo 7's]()* release across PS4 and PS5 kind of made *Sport* obsolete, as the two games run on a similar engine and include similar content, though the newer game is obviously much broader in scope. Personally, I don't see myself returning to *Sport* anytime soon. But the reason this news is so welcome is because nobody really knew what was going to happen to the game once its servers were taken offline. Whatever Polyphony decided to do—or not—would set a precedent for *GT7's* playability in the future, as it has a similar always-online requirement. We live in an age now where spending $70 on a boxed product doesn't mean a game's truly yours forever. Take a look at Ubisoft's *The Crew*, which has not only been delisted from virtual storefronts but will be [rendered completely unplayable when its servers go dark]() in March. Unlike Sony, Ubisoft is taking no steps to ensure that racing game is preserved for someone who might want to revisit it five or 10 years from now. The massive effort on the part of developers to build it is all going up in smoke unless the fan community can figure out a way to hack in unofficial offline functionality. Of course, it should never be their responsibility to. Servers can't stay live forever, and it's reasonable to expect that the supported, multiplayer lifespan of any game will eventually die. But it shouldn't take the single-player experience along with it, and effectively erase art from existence. It's a question that remains for the new *[Forza Motorsport]()* as well, as that's another title that requires an internet connection to save. Granted, *GT Sport's* transition here won't be totally flawless. Polyphony says any downloaded liveries or decals created by other players will be removed from your garage and library, which seems like something that could've been avoided. I'd still take a game without sharable liveries over no game at all, though, and hopefully the studio's peers in the industry take a similar approach when their respective games drive off into the sunset. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()