Support NeoGAF

[YCoCg]

In the latest update for Grand Theft Auto Online a lot of content was added, new cars, hang outs, music, etc, but one thing they failed to mention is that the original music from the first releases are starting to expire and they've removed one song from the game quietly. Normally this is done on the 10th anniversary because Rockstar do not like to renew the music license but this has happened earlier than that. Expect more songs to expire over the next two years, on the plus side, constant influx of dance music due to their new record label.

Source detailing the removed track:

 

[Kerotan]

Too be expected but because it's gta online there will be no shortage of new tracks added and hasn't been since launch.

 

[Bo_Hazem]

Funny, but understandable. The game should expire as well.

 

[Zero7]

Surely all the money they've made from the game they could easily afford to relicense the soundtrack. Especially as the game will no doubt be around for another 8+ years.

 

[makaveli60]

It’s understandable. The game wasn’t a hit and they are trying to stay in business. Can’t afford such luxury things like renewing music licenses when no one plays it anymore.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

They are adding a lot of new music so I don't see the problem. This is just a common thing for licensed music.

 

[Ac!dSnake]

Honestly, I think it's kinda surprising given that a PS5/Series X version of GTA V is supposed to be coming out later this year. I figured they'd renew everything on top of adding even more music (who knows, maybe they still will and this could be temporary).

 

[nightmare-slain]

don't care. who wants to listen to music from 2013 ???

give us a new game Rockstar!!!

 

[Birdo]

Just as long as Radio Ga Ga is still there.

 

[SJRB]

O boy, here I go listening to FlyLo FM for the 585398502543053th time.

 

[YCoCg]

Too be expected but because it's gta online there will be no shortage of new tracks added and hasn't been since launch.

They are adding a lot of new music so I don't see the problem. This is just a common thing for licensed music.

The issue is, the new stuff doesn't fit into the story mode that's set in 2013, so either the new music is Online exclusive (currently 4 radio stations are GTAO only) or it get thrown into a playlist where it feels out of place.

 

[Moses85]

The tracklist this Game had to offer was so bad.

GTA VC has still the best
GTA SA was also excellent

 

[Bernd Lauert]

I mean it's one music licence, Michael, what could it cost? Ten dollars?

 

[Miles708]

Ah yes, licences and online games. What a wonderful combo.

 

[AJUMP23]

I wonder what the difference in a never expiring license and an expiring one for the game is.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Funny, but understandable. The game should expire as well.

Aint that the truth. Talk about flogging a dead horse.

 

[Tuff McNutt]

The soundtrack is garbage for the most part anyways.

 

[Magic Carpet]

Music license stuff just makes me shake my head. I understand the why of it but still just shake my head as an unfortunate thing that has to exist if we want to continue having decent music in the world.
However I will never understand removing theme songs from Blueray tv shows. It's just so wrong.
wasting money on buying bluerays of old tv shows is wrong too but still.....

 

[DGrayson]

We welcome our digital overlords

 

[amigastar]

The soundtrack is garbage for the most part anyways.

No its not, compared to other soundtracks it really has no competition.

 

[rofif]

I still can't get over how they butchered gta 4.
IMO purchases made before music expired, should honor it.
My 2009 steam gta4 is gone. the game I've paid for is no more

 

[thesplitsubject]

It’s kind of like real radio stations then, no?

 

[Quasicat]

The tracklist this Game had to offer was so bad.

GTA VC has still the best
GTA SA was also excellent

I ripped the music off of my PS2 copies of those and Vice City Stories and run them through Simple Music Player on Xbox. I haven’t listened to the music on GTA IV or V for years, and instead I listen to Flash FM and Emotion 98.3 almost exclusively.

 

[Unknown?]

Maybe they will go back to their roots and create all their own tracks again. XD

 

[deriks]

The soundtrack is garbage for the most part anyways.

 

[Blond]

don't care. who wants to listen to music from 2013 ???

give us a new game Rockstar!!!

Wait it’s been nearly a decade since this game released?? Itsbeen84years.gif

 

[Excess]

who wants to listen to music from 2013 ???

Don't you ever say that about Sleepwalking!

 

[rodrigolfp]

As someone who always disable radio:

 

[Soodanim]

This is the only song that GTA needs, and it's criminal that it isn't hidden away in every game that isn't set in the past

 

[YCoCg]

This is the only song that GTA needs, and it's criminal that it isn't hidden away in every game that isn't set in the past

This is actually hidden in GTA Online.

 

[GuinGuin]

Maybe they decided the song sucked. You wouldn't remove just one because of licensing.

 

[YCoCg]

You wouldn't remove just one because of licensing.

They have done so in the past before.

 

[nkarafo]

I get how online games need to change over time. They are, basically, a service. You can't have any control over how the game is going to be so you deal with it.

The problem with GTA though is that it also has a single player campaign (which was it's main purpose really) and this shit gets spilled there as well. Single player experiences are personal experiences, you get used to things. And the soundtrack is part of the overall aesthetic/artistic package. You are not supposed to have such drastic changes when your game gets updated. What if i liked the song and was a huge part of my GTA single player experience?

Imagine loading Super Mario Bros one day and the iconic main theme is replaced by something else because Koji Kondo did a different kind of deal or something with Nintendo? I mean, how is that different? And sure, you still have an old copy somewhere, or a ROM to enjoy the original experience. But what happens in the future where newer games are streaming only?

This is another reason why i hate this digital and soon streaming only future. At least now you have the means to backup a game and stop it from getting updated if you don't care about the multiplayer. But in the future?

 

[Phunkydiabetic]

They are adding a lot of new music so I don't see the problem. This is just a common thing for licensed music.

Yeah but it's GTAV, therefore we must froth at the mouth and wail and gnash teeth because they sell shark cards and keep providing years of updates for free and they haven't released GTAVI because they're greedy and delaying it argghh rabble rabble

 

[YCoCg]

Yeah but it's GTAV, therefore we must froth at the mouth and wail and gnash teeth because they sell shark cards and keep providing years of updates for free and they haven't released GTAVI because they're greedy and delaying it argghh rabble rabble

People have flagged the issue here:

The issue is, the new stuff doesn't fit into the story mode that's set in 2013, so either the new music is Online exclusive (currently 4 radio stations are GTAO only) or it get thrown into a playlist where it feels out of place.

So Single Player is starting to lose music where as the new music they do add, it's for Online only.

 

[MadchesterManc]

Im fine so long as they don't remove my jam

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

Nothing new, they have done this many times in GTAV. Some song were replaced, different version added or just removed.

Old news..

 

[edbrat]

Soulwax FM on GTAV is great and I'll fight anyone who thinks otherwise

 

[wvnative]

Music license stuff just makes me shake my head. I understand the why of it but still just shake my head as an unfortunate thing that has to exist if we want to continue having decent music in the world.
However I will never understand removing theme songs from Blueray tv shows. It's just so wrong.
wasting money on buying bluerays of old tv shows is wrong too but still.....

Wtf what Blu-Ray's have the theme song removed?

 

[Derktron]

Funny, but understandable. The game should expire as well.

 

[Drew1440]

Wtf what Blu-Ray's have the theme song removed?

Only time I've seen it happen was when Daria was released to DVD and the soundtrack was changed, compared to the original MTV broadcast

 

[GreatnessRD]

Ah yes, licences and online games. What a wonderful combo.

Shit weak, I swear.

 

[SSfox]

Fuck this game already, bring on GTA6 you rockstar stupid morons.

Spoiler

I love GTAV actually but the milking have gone long enough and rockstar need to stop this

 

[Trogdor1123]

Probably can't afford the license, it's not like the game did well.

 

[skneogaf]

I don't understand why a lifetime music deal can't made, it's not like anything else having music in a video game. Movies get re-released with old music in 4k many years later, are they having to resign music deals?

 

[The Snake]

are they having to resign music deals?

Yes.

 

[Kuranghi]

 

[Syphon Filter]

don't care. who wants to listen to music from 2013 ???

give us a new game Rockstar!!!

Dumbest comment I read in this forum.

 

[xrnzaaas]

don't care. who wants to listen to music from 2013 ???

give us a new game Rockstar!!!

Because music from 2021 is so much better?

But yeah, I agree that the soundtrack in GTA 5 was weak in general. VC still has the best ost by far.

 

[LordCBH]

Oh fuck off. Why can’t copies already bought keep the damn tracks?