Gran Turismo 7 has just launched the Power Pack, a substantial new DLC aimed at enhancing the single-player experience. Released alongside the Spec III update, this add-on introduces new cars, tracks, and most notably, the advanced Sophy 3.0 AI. In this breakdown, I’ll walk you through what the Power Pack includes, who it’s for, whether it’s worth the price, and my personal experience with it so far.
What Is the Power Pack?
The Power Pack is a paid DLC exclusive to PlayStation 5, priced at $29.99. Its main attraction is the revamped single-player mode powered by the Sophy 3.0 AI. Designed to create a more immersive and competitive racing experience, Sophy adds an entirely new dimension to solo gameplay.
Given its technical demands, the Power Pack is not available on PlayStation 4. Sophy’s advanced behavior and features are clearly tailored for the PS5’s capabilities.
Sophy 3.0 is already the third version of the AI, and it brings a mix of speed, unpredictability, and challenge. Some races are blisteringly difficult, while others feel more accessible. But overall, this DLC is made for players who enjoy the thrill of offline racing and want to push their limits.
A Unique Layout: The Ship and the Map
Once installed, the Power Pack appears as a ship on the bottom left corner of the main menu, a curious design choice that adds a bit of intrigue. When you enter, you’re greeted with a map showcasing your progression across different racing categories. The layout is clean and intuitive, making it easy to understand what to do next.
There are 50 challenges and 37 rewards spread across the map. Events are color-coded by region and theme:
• Blue for American muscle
• Green for European legends
• Red for Asian imports
• Purple for tuning culture
• Yellow for historic icons
• Pink for Nürburgring events
Each completed challenge unlocks the next within its branch. Stars earned in any race contribute to your overall progress, but certain rewards require unlocking the respective region first. This structure encourages players to explore every section, not just focus on one.
Cars Take Center Stage
As always, Gran Turismo continues to celebrate car culture, and the Power Pack elevates that further. Instead of relying on your garage cars, this DLC uses specially tuned vehicles, built specifically for each challenge. Many of these builds are stunning, with custom visual and performance tweaks.
Some even replicate real-world racing machines that don’t officially exist in the game, like DTM-style versions of street cars. It’s impressive work, and it raises the question of why these builds aren’t available in online or custom races. Offering them more widely could add welcome variety and help balance competitive modes.
Difficulty Settings and Race Structure
Each challenge offers three difficulty levels using the familiar pepper rating system.
• No pepper: standard
• One pepper: tough
• Two pepper: extremely difficult
Rewards scale with difficulty, offering 100%, 110%, or 120% payouts. But don’t be fooled, two pepper races are already brutally hard. As an A+ rated driver who frequently places in the top 20 globally, I can say with confidence: these races are no joke.
Most events include practice, qualifying, and the main race. While you can often skip practice and qualifying, tougher races practically demand them. In shorter events or those with rolling starts, skipping prep usually leads to defeat. The AI’s straight-line speed advantage makes catching up extremely difficult without a front-row start.
Racing Sophy 3.0
Sophy 3.0 is the centerpiece of this DLC. It’s aggressive, intelligent, and unpredictable, sometimes too much, sometimes not enough. On certain tracks, it delivers a genuine challenge, especially when backed by faster cars. On others, its pace feels oddly inconsistent.
Interestingly, the AI's performance seems to rely more on the car it’s driving than its racing finesse. Sophy doesn’t always take optimal lines or use track limits effectively. It tends to adopt a defensive driving style by default, even when not under pressure. In tight circuits, it excels. On wider tracks, it can feel oddly timid and inefficient.
Despite some questionable decisions, like braking too early, avoiding curbs, or sticking to narrow lines, there are moments when Sophy shines. It adapts, defends, and occasionally surprises you with clever moves. But it’s not perfect. In one race, a weather change triggered unnecessary pit stops from the AI, handing me an easy win.
Progression and Endurance Races
The more challenges you complete, the deeper the DLC becomes. I’ve already spent over 12 hours with it and I’m only halfway through. Some events aren’t even visible until you've progressed far enough, and yes, that includes 24-hour endurance races.
Thankfully, there’s an option to pause these long races and resume later, a vital quality-of-life feature since most players can't complete a full-day race in one sitting.
The star system is also forgiving. You don’t need to win every single event to unlock the majority of the content. Progress is measured broadly, which allows players to enjoy the experience without getting stuck. But if you want to unlock everything and earn all 700+ stars, you’ll have to push yourself.
The Power Pack also unlocks six new cars that can be used in other game modes, adding long-term value.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the Power Pack is a strong addition to Gran Turismo 7. While the AI’s behavior is inconsistent at times and the difficulty can be overwhelming, the depth of content and quality of the challenges make it worthwhile for dedicated players.
The $29.99 price tag may seem steep, but if you’re a fan of single-player racing and car culture, this DLC will keep you engaged for hours. Sophy 3.0 isn’t perfect, but it’s a step forward. With more polish, it could become the gold standard for racing game AI.
Let me know what you think. Have you picked up the Power Pack yet, or are you still on the fence? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk about it.
