The racing game series that debuted on the original PlayStation is Gran Turismo.
Created by Kazunori Yamauchi and developed by Polyphony Digital, Gran Turismo began as an unusually ambitious racing simulator. Development started in 1992, and the first game took about five years to complete. It launched in Japan in 1997 before reaching North America, Europe, and other regions in 1998.
Gran Turismo stood apart from arcade racers by emphasizing realistic driving physics, licensed automobiles, tuning, tire behavior, braking, and racing lines. Its license tests taught players practical driving techniques, while prize money allowed them to buy and upgrade cars. The original game featured about 150 licensed vehicles, an impressive figure for its era.
A common mix-up is confusing Gran Turismo with Ridge Racer, another important PlayStation racing series. Ridge Racer was an arcade-style launch-era title, whereas Gran Turismo became known as “The Real Driving Simulator.”