AsGrand Theft Auto 6slowly gets closer to its planned 2025 release window, a few problems are already cropping up - one of them being a publicized pay dispute over soundtrack licensing. AsGrand Theft Autohas grown into one of the biggest franchises in the gaming industry, the expansive library of licensed music that populates the games' various radio stations has become one of its greatest strengths, withGTA 5in particular boasting over 241 licensed tracks. As developer Rockstar looks to expand on the previous game for theVice City-setGTA 6, however, it’s already run into a few problems.
As reported byVGC,Martyn Ware(via X, formerly Twitter), a founding member of the band Heaven 17, has claimed that Rockstar Games had offered $7,500 for the inclusion of a song, “Temptation,” on theGTA 6soundtrack, and “a buyout of any future royalties from the game” - an offer which Ware, and Heaven 17, then rejected, with Ware comparing the offer to being paid in “exposure.”
In later posts, Ware clarified that the$7,500 offer was to all three membersof the band, bringing it up to $22,500 total, thatRockstar refused further negotiations, and claimed that$75,000 would be a fairer deal.
Fans Have Criticized Both Rockstar And Martyn Ware
While the news that Rockstar is looking to fully buy out songs forGTA 6is good news for fans, as it means that the game can avoid the post-release music removal patches that hit bothGTA 4andGTA 5, it’s decidedly less welcome news that the studio is allegedly underpaying artists to do so. While the controversy over Heaven 17’s rejection of the offer is unlikely to hurtGTA 6significantly in the long run, other artists taking a similar stance as Ware could end up narrowing the amount of licensed music that gets included onGTA 6’s radio stationsat release.
Notably, however, Ware’s later posts clarifying the exact amount offered and his hypothetical counter-offer have also drawn a significant amount of criticism, with someGTAfans feeling that his initial claim of $7,500 was essentially a lie by omission, and that his proposed $75,000 offer is too high in light of how much other licensed music will be included inGTA 6.GTAis, of course, one of the most profitable and high-budget franchises in the gaming industry, and could presumably afford to pay more, but any offers made may have to abide by a strict licensing budget as well.
Why Grand Theft Auto 6 Is Taking So Long to Make
There are reasons for Rockstar taking their sweet time with GTA 6.
Martyn Ware and Heaven 17, as with any artist offered pay for their work, are of course well within their rights to refuse any offer, but the decision to make the rejection a public affair has sparked some controversy, both for Rockstar Games and Ware himself. Further news onGrand Theft Auto6is scant at the moment, but the dispute between Rockstar and Heaven 17 marks something of a bad start for the game’s music licensing efforts.
Sources:VGC, Martyn Ware/X (1,2,3,4)
Grand Theft Auto 6
Grand Theft Auto VI is an installment in Rockstar Games' wildly successful franchise. Set in a new location after the events of Grand Theft Auto V, VI will see players arrive in a new sprawling city where they can explore the world they want while completing various story and side quests while taking whatever vehicles players desire.
