It seems that Rockstar Games is only offering a few thousand dollars to some artists to use their songs in GTA 6. One musician revealed this information and expressed anger against Rockstar. This is because we all know how many billions GTA Online and GTA V have made since launch.
In a couple of interesting TweetsHeaven 17 co-founder Martyn Ware hit out at Rockstar Games for his payment. The musician said he received a message from Rockstar Games through their publishers.
The game studio asked about using Heaven 17’s Temptation in Grand Theft Auto 6. This is likely for one of the many radio stations set up in the game.
Ware said he was actually “Naturally excited” by the “huge fortune that was going to be headed my way, I scrolled to the bottom of the email about the offer…” In another Tweet he continued by saying “IT WAS $7500 – for redemption of any future royalties from the game – forever…”
He said GTA 6 grossed $8.6 billion. This is a typo and he means GTA V. Naturally, Ware was upset with the figure he received via email. “Ah, but think of the exposure… Fuck you” he continued. We take it Temptation or any of the other music owned by Ware will not appear in GTA VI.
It’s worth noting that we usually see music licenses in games, especially GTA games, last about 10 years rather than forever and ever. That’s why titles like GTA IV had some songs patched years later because Rockstar couldn’t reach an agreement with the owner of the music.
Feedback and sharing
Fans are divided on the fee. Some argue that the exposure is worth the money, as tens of millions of players will hear it in GTA 6. Rockstar Games is known for creating iconic in-game radio stations that feature a wide range of licensed music.
However, this incident suggests that not all artists are satisfied with the terms offered, despite the massive exposure that a GTA title can provide. Inclusion in GTA V proved to be a big help for smaller artists or introducing a new generation to old classics giving them another lease on life.
Considering how much GTA V earned upon release, it’s fair to say $7500 feels pretty small. It will also have a budget of several hundred million dollars. Maybe Rockstar Games will come back with an improved offering that pleases Martyn Ware.
Artist ScHoolboy Q has already confirmed that his music will be in GTA VI. You can learn more here. Meanwhile T-Pain said that Rockstar stopped him from playing GTA RP because he is working on GTA VI in some capacity.
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