Today English musician and composer Martyn Ware reported that Rockstar offered $7,500 to include the song “Temptation” in GTA6, and his reaction was not very charitable.
Ware, a founding member of the synth-pop band Heaven 17, was apparently offered the sum through his publishers so that the popular song could be broadcasted in Rockstar’s upcoming game Grand Theft Auto 6, including a buyout of all royalties in perpetuity.
The musician mentioned on his X (formerly Twitter) account that Grand Theft Auto 6 (obviously meaning GTA5) grossed $8.6 billion, and sarcastically commented about the exposure the inclusion of his song would bring him, then encouraging Rockstar to “go fu*k yourself.”
“I was recently contacted by my publishers on behalf of Rockstar Games re the possibility of using Temptation on the new Grand Theft Auto 6
Naturally excited about the immense wealth that was about to head my way, I scrolled to the bottom of the email re the offer…
IT WAS $7500 – for a buyout of any future royalties from the game – forever…
To put this in context, Grand Theft Auto 6 grossed, wait for it…
$8.6 BILLION
Ah, but think of the exposure…
Go fuck yourself”
If you’re unfamiliar with “Temptation,” the song ranked number 2 on the UK Singles Chart in spring 1983 and it’s one of Heaven 17’s biggest hits.
Simulation Daily reached out to Rockstar and Take-Two for comment, and we’ll update this article if we receive a reaction or clarification.
Grand Theft Auto VI is coming in the fall of 2025 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. It’s obviously expected to be a significant driver of financial success for Take-Two when it launches.
Grand Theft Auto V has sold over 200 million copies across three generations, after launching in 2013 for PS3 and Xbox 360, it was then ported gradually ti PC, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.
It’s worth mentioning that the Grand Theft Auto series has certainly been a strong source of exposure for bands and musicians all over the world. For example, the album The Music of Grand Theft Auto V, Vol. 1 includes songs that have been played between 2 and 96 million times on Spotify.
Of course, one’s mileage may vary on the monetary value of said exposure in the highly anticipated GTA6.
