As a veteran Gran Turismo fan, my only complaint about the series is that its audio has never been as true to life as its physics. Many would agree. While it may have taken more than three generations to address, Gran Turismo 7 could be the first to tackle this weak spot of the series in a big way.
According to the LinkedIn profile of former Forza Audio Lead Mike Caviezel, he left Microsoft Studios to work for Polyphony Digital last month. He now serves as Senior Audio Lead for Polyphony Digital which is currently working on Gran Turismo 7.
His profile states:
Senior Audio Lead
April 2015 – Present (2 months) Venice Beach, CA
Currently a Senior Audio Lead at Polyphony Digital, creating audio for the Gran Turismo racing franchise.
Caviezel has more than 15 years of audio experience including the position of Audio Lead at Sierra Entertainment during its golden years. He was also one of the team members responsible for the fantastic racing audio in all five Forza Motorsport titles in addition to work on Halo 4 and Ryse: Son of Rome.
This could be a significant move for Polyphony Digital. The Gran Turismo series has been challenged by Forza since 2005. Its lackluster car noises haven't done it any favors. Bringing on talent like Caviezel is a natural step toward improvement.
Last week it was confirmed that Gran Turismo 7 will be a 2016 release. Although the game is taking a while to complete, Polyphony Digital has always made the wait worth it.