disolitude, i do enjoy arcade games like burnout. but it just gets old going around corners at 100+ and have not control over car. in games like that the racing wheel is worthless because your going to fast to control it. and about taking your own car out, man i wish, but this is the best im going to get for alot of years.

Qly, how does it not teach you anything? i have learned so much about cars and how they drive from GT. things like oversteer, understeer, track lines, shifting. how many people can use a manual transmittion in a video game worth shit?! correct me if im wrong. and i mean a real H shifter with clutch, not just hitting a button.

Different people enjoy different things.
I find sim racing is much more fun than arcade racing.

It's like asking why Mario related games are so popular.
I personally hated it and find it over-used.

yeah i agree racing sims are boring. i've played the GT games and i consider them decent at best (not worth playing more than once) and downright boring compared to great racing game franchises like burnout, fzero, and espeically mario kart. give me either a ridiculous sense of speed, awesome action/crashes, or weapons and it'll be fun. if all you do is make a realistic racing game with great graphics, guess what, i can hit the highway and drive fast in real life which is way more fun than gt, has a much better sense of speed, and WAY better graphics (just gotta look out for the coppers!).

The first GT was novelty as someone said up there (though the first need for speed was also providing nice cars and you drove through trafic which was cool), and it appealed to the collector side of people. Show the game to someone collecting miniatures of cars at $50 a piece... they'll go crazy about it, especially with these graphics.

It works just like an rpg...Collecting better cars and car parts to run different tracks faster is just the same as collecting weapons and armors to beat harder monsters in dungeons. It just feels different every time (although it is basically the same thing).
I personally thought the first GT was of good size, I have the 3 also and barely touched it, too long to my taste... on the other side i eat as many rpgs as I can.... I just prefer collecting swords to cars!(well and there is a story to follow...).
I have a friend that just loves racing game and customizing his cars bikes, whatever he can find... doesn't play anything but that.

So GT is for the collector type that likes to feel powerful because of the size and beauty of his collection and to feel in control because he can customize everything. But you're not gonna get an instant fun packed experience.

On the other hand, look at MKWii... who wants to buy this game for collection? it's a game for fun and competition out of the box.

I don't like simulators too, but I think that GT is still accessible to most gamers. even if it's realistic, the controls are usually basic stuff in racers.. no drifting tricks, stunts, etc. and I also agree with Hephaestos :P

 Psygnosis made Wipeout, not Sony.  Namco was huge with Ridge Racer.  Nintendo and Midway also had big racing games back then.  I never played a GT but I remember to was said to have tons of cars and great graphics.  If I ever get a PS3, I'll likely get a used copy of GT5 just for the graphics :)

My type of racing games= Test Drive, Road Rash, Wipeout, Mario Kart

Stealth, how much you pay for repairs ?

Its virtual driving, as close as you get but no shiet it will never be like actualy sitting in a car and experiencing g forces.  But the car characteristic are prettydman close to real life.

What do you test drive, not Ferraris or GTRs do yahh.

GT heavaly hit the import car fans, are you one. 

 End of thread he hit it right on.

I have ran the same track in a Supra or GTR hundreths of times just trying to beat my own time. 

Gran Turismo is the best simulation racing game series ever made. GT games pwns the cheap imitations that are Forza and PGR.