Creative Music Ideas for GTA VI (Pt.2) - Nightclubs
How I think GTA VI will use and expand nightclubs, and what artists can prepare for.
Grand Theft Auto’s (GTA) experience was largely influenced by Dance music. As was Ivan Pavlovich, music supervisor for Rockstar Games - GTA’s publisher:
”We love dance music and it's been part of the fabric of Rockstar Games from the very beginning”
Nightclubs already feature in GTA V but, given the latest trailer for GTA VI, what might we expect to see in a new, larger-world entry in the franchise? I’ve had thoughts on what could be a cool way to deliver music experiences to players and I’m excited/curious to see if the developers are thinking along the same lines. More on that later.
GTA VI - Parallel Reality
Let’s see what GTA has done before
How to expand the club scene in GTA VI
Let’s put this all into an idea…
1. GTA VI - Parallel Reality
GTA VI is setting up to be a parallel to reality in terms of access to events and amusements - which just so happens to include stealing cars and driving away from the police. Clue is in the name, really.
The parallel to reality bit is quite important here because this franchise presents opportunities for capturing ways players can interact with a digital (fictional yet very extra) version of the world that no other games have quite been able to rival. If the prevalence and popularity trend of streamers playing GTA V RP (a roleplay mod of GTA V) is any indication, GTA VI has the potential to be massive. Fortnite and Roblox which have shifted into ‘platforms’ that host multiple ways of engaging your avatar and these have been positively received. So far there is nothing I’ve spotted that quite fits the same realistic calibre as well as the same historical brand support for such a digital representation of reality than the GTA series.
Last time I spoke about ideas for GTA I touched upon Rock Music and how cool it would be to have musical events that players can interact with in a variety of ways. As this game is guaranteed to be more expansive if the trailer is anything to go by it makes sense to largely base all events on a ‘template’ - one that allows access, interaction and engaging gameplay.
2. Let’s see what GTA has done before
GTA Online: After Hours
In 2018, GTA online launched a new content update titled ‘After Hours’. In this update you can own a nightclub as a business which pays you passive income. You can also perform actions that help out such as removing a misbehaving guest. You can book guest DJs who increase profitability for a period of time depending on the nights they perform. This feels like it had artistic potential which was expanded into the Music Locker. Here’s a comprehensive min-max guide.
The Music Locker
In late 2020 a new music club opened up in GTA V called ‘The Music Locker’. Rockstar took three real DJ’s, put their avatar in the game, and let them run their sets back-to-back with a neat little hand over animation. Great level of detail.
Here are some features about The Music Locker which I enjoyed:
The bar features a dance floor where you can dance with other players and perform a variety of dance moves.
You can order drinks from the bar.
You get VIP perks if you buy a ‘penthouse’ inside of the lavish casino it’s attached to, including VIP area and cheaper drinks.
It has a $150 in-game entry fee, but $25 if you dress well.
You can only access the area beside the DJ booth once you have completed missions associated with helping the DJ.
The Music locker is also home to one of the current GTA online events - The Cayo Perico Heist - where you are first introduced to the main character who walks you through the mission.
You cannot equip or use any weapons in the club.
I couldn’t have written a more perfect way for a club to be delivered in a game. It has elaborate interactions and a great aesthetic. It has content exclusively within this space, it’s safe, it has a main mission tie in; all of these make it both significant but optional which makes any club worthwhile.
Criticisms
The only thing I’d say about these experiences is that they are limited in their replayability. Despite being able to go to a club and being willing to spend a few hours there, if it wasn’t for the tie in with the online event (Cayo Perico Heist) then there would need to be more incentive to drive people here consistently - or better yet - have players choose to come here. While these features show potential I don’t think they’re as appealing to players compared to driving, shooting and missions.
3. How to expand the club scene in GTA VI
GTA V clearly had two excellent executions of how nightclubs can exist and thrive. My interpretation of why people enjoy club nights: music & company, both of which create the atmosphere. GTA VI has room to be even more expansive by providing multiple avenues for music and communities. Currently, the Music Locker and the nightclubs are the only places you can go with a similar experience. I had previously mentioned about how underground house parties and rock events might be a cool touch, but how can GTA VI go further?
One of my assumptions is that GTA VI will have many more clubs tailored for different genres. This would be a great way to develop ‘homes’ for multiple communities in one go where their go-to venue is their communal hangout. These can end up looking like members clubs for certain aesthetics. I’d be impressed if they made an entire ecosystem around nightclubs specifically, but I see them being important venues belonging to wider group identities.
I think the concept of commitment and real-time can play quite nicely for two main ideas:
Firstly, real-time events. By this, I mean GTA VI could have events that are happening in real life reflect in the game. I recall GTA V doing live events for their online mode mirroring Halloween and Valentine’s day. Instead of annual events like this, it may well be possible for more real-time events that don’t require such intense development if it follows a template. For example, many artists tour all year around, and if there was a system to allow artist to easily include themselves in such a template, this could be possible to do at scale. More on this later…
Secondly, it would be commitments. Well this looks omnious - I get that. However, let’s say you play mainly certain missions, representing certain gangs, perhaps you wear certain items, listen to certain music, or even play on certain days - I’d say that can give you certain rewards. Having an online mode means you need to have a diverse and ‘infinite’ amount of things to do at all times. Instead of trying to achieve a ‘100% completion’, it would make more sense for the gameplay to revolve around commitment to representations to drive purposeful gameplay, rather than just achievement hunting. No doubt there will be a deeper level competitive ‘us versus them’ attitude, similar to the ‘Greens versus Blues’ we saw before, as well as the Gang Wars of GTA: San Andreas before then too.
There is a more autonomous approach that already exists in GTA V where you can join a crew. This enables groups of players to join many other players and represent their crews, earning them access to jobs, earning cash and reputation, and crew-specific items. I will be using the term crew and gang interchangeably going forward.
4. Let’s put this all into an idea…
“Oooh, what has this got to do with music” wait a second!
Imagine an artist wants to do a show in GTA VI. The artist would like to perform in a particular nightclub according to their genre/vibe. Each nightclub is associated with a gang (this may exchange depending on gang turf). A few weeks before the show, players who are part of the associated gang are able to do mini-missions to support the nightclub with varying degrees of success. Such as, players need to convince other nightclubs to play the ‘White Label’ version of the DJ’s record in surrounding clubs to increase popularity, or travel around the city putting up posters at certain locations (like GTA: San Andreas tagging).
It is no doubt that social clout will play a part in this. Given the in-game social media reference below, I expect that there must be some sort of social media mechanic that would link with building a nightclub’s reputation nicely:
The show itself could be a real-time event where a set is played live in one of the venues. This can take its shape in any form, likely one that mirrors the Music Locker design - an avatar performing a playlist that is designed like the artist in that club. Most importantly, the gang is rewarded relative to its ‘success’.
How do we measure ‘success’? Well, here’s the catch - Other gangs are trying to do the same thing with different nightclubs/artists, and head to head competitions such as tearing down posters and trying to assassinate ‘White Label’ holders may take place while in free roam. Perhaps all events go ahead, but with different degrees of success depending on who was the most successful. This could start with in-game fictional digital artists instead and slowly start operating with real life artists taking their place as and when to avoid constant A&R searching for inclusions and deals on Rockstar’s side.
Here are some benefits of this ‘nightclub x gang war’ eco-system for Rockstar & GTA VI players:
Players get ‘battle-pass’ related achievements and perks depending on their choice of gang, its associated nightclub and its success.
Players get exposure to the music world through the game. I discussed this successful bridging-method before.
Reduction of development needed for external partnerships through this template.
…and the benefit for the music industry & artists:
Artists can have a template to perform in-game without negotiating potential high partnership/development costs on both sides.
Friendly for any size artist.
‘White Label’ activities could be tied in with lead single pitching, presenting a new way of contextual and engaging showcasing of new music.
Generate a new style of inclusion for artists other than the GTA radio.
The biggest component of this is that this must not be front and center of the GTA gameplay. Instead, this needs to be a side-project that amplifies only if players decide to lean into it, as if music promotion/espionage is one part of a gang war. There may be a dedicated self-declared music promotional team that focus their efforts on the music side of the gang war.
It would be great to see music expansion sharing the values and expectation of the GTA brand. Providing digital venues stay as safe places, I think a variety of nightclubs or clashing identity expressions will unavoidably cause online warfare given GTA is inherently ‘violent’ (don’t forget, violent video games don’t cause violent behaviour), so why not make players contributors where they can engage with the presence of the artist and celebrate their successes with other like-minded players when the event comes through?
Perhaps I’ve just started the genre wars with this eco-system, but was there not one already?
TLDR:
(My guess is) GTA VI will have a more expansive offering of nightclubs, capturing a variety of genres. My idea combines gang-affiliation with nightclubs and artist/music inclusion, encouraging guild-like benefits through players supporting artists as an in-game business. This runs off a rolling template, offering ongoing content and a vehicle for artists & DJs inside GTA VI. This only counts if the clubs are safe and if its an optional component of a larger ‘gang war’ to bolster a crew/event.