The latest After Hours update of bestselling video game Grand Theft Auto V lets players manage their own virtual nightclub, with music provided by four real-life DJs.
This is the latest and deepest integration of music into the world of GTA. Games studio Rockstar licenses 1,500 tracks for gaming development, of which only a quarter make it into the final game.
“To appreciate how intravenous music is to Rockstar, you have to go back to Sam and Dan Houser, founders of the studio and co-creators of GTA. Before creating a video game empire, both began careers at Sony Music. In fact, many of the developer’s senior staff followed similar paths, including its director of music, Ivan Pavlovich, who has worked with Rockstar since the 1990s. He and his colleagues are tastemakers for GTA’s millions of players, curating sounds for each new title they produce.”
Read more: How Grand Theft Auto created a virtual underground clubbing scene
