Memo from the DDRS Race Director
There's been a lot of discussion about the future of the DDRS given the impending release of Gran Turismo 7, timed to hit the streets just before the final two rounds of the Winter 2022 series. As the series race director, allow me to take this opportunity to clarify how this will play out with respect to the Winter 2022 series and future DDRS events.
First off, the DDRS Winter 2022 series will run the final two events using Gran Turismo Sport. While we'd considered moving the series to GT7 on it's release, there are several factors that argue against. GT7 is a decidedly different game from GTS, having been reported as returning to its earlier "numbered" Gran Turismo roots. Players will likely start the game with a modest entry level car. We know that by winning races and completing challenges, drivers will gain cars, unlock tracks, and earn the credits necessary to upgrade their cars.
Given the above, there's a large risk that one or more of the following may prove true. The car might not be available in the new car dealer, requiring players to wait for it to appear in their use car lot. New players might not be able to afford the car once it becomes available. New players might not have the game credits needed to purchase the upgrade parts needed. The DDRS technical committee might not be able to get enough seat time with the car in GT7 to even know what the required changes ought to be. The new standards might not be able to be communicated to the competitors in a timely manner. Players might not have enough in-game time to even unlock the track(s) at which DDRS will be competing in the last two rounds (if any of the tracks require unlocking). The biggest unknown, is how GT7 will be different on legacy PS4s. I don't have a PS5, and available information leaves more questions than answers for players on a PS4. Will a PS4 be able to host a race? And, if it can, what limitations will exist?
For all of these reasons, the DDRS Winter 2022 Championship will finish under GT Sport.
GT7 is likely to be an entirely different beast from GTSport. We've all seen cars that we thought were great cars in GT5 that ended up being mediocre in GT6, or cars we loved driving in GT6 that were a total disappointment in GT Sport (yes, I'm looking at you, Mazda Roadster Touring Car). There's no telling how the '89 BMW M3 will change in GT7.
The DDRS Championship has every intention of continuing into the future. With the introduction of GT7, this will provide an opportunity to take a look at options. Do we continue with the BMW? After all, it is a 33-year-old car. Is there something newer that provides the same level of close competition? Will the car get nerfed making it the obvious choice, or will it become a hateful beast?
There's all likelihood that the DDRS Championship may become just a fall/winter series. As the world begins to emerge from Covid-19, all indications are that many of us will simply have competing demands on our time during the spring and summer months, yours truly included. That being said, I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how DDRS will evolve with GT7. In the mean time, I'm working on ideas for the summer months, something a bit short of a championship, but that keeps the momentum alive.