With Grand Theft Auto V receiving yet another next-gen port, this time for the upcoming PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, it seems that the highly popular open world game has come to another platform: the music video. Since the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into the music industry, preventing music video shoots and live performances, some artists have gotten rather creative to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.
For a virtual band like Gorillaz, utilizing the virtual space of Grand Theft Auto V seems to make perfect sense. For their ninth single off their latest album, the British virtual band have filmed a music video in Grand Theft Auto V, replacing what could have been Los Angeles with Los Santos. The funk rock single, titled "The Valley of the Pagans," features American experimental musician Beck.
The video depicts the band — 2-D, Murdoc, Russel, and Noodle — in a car teleported from their Kong Studios home via a portal into Grand Theft Auto V. Lead guitarist Noodle proceeds to speed down the streets of Los Santos as the band accumulate wanted level stars. Beck appears via a phone video call in the bottom right of the screen, with lead vocalist 2-D talking to him in the back of the car. The car then enters another portal and ends up in the ocean near Plastic Beach, a reference to the band's 2010 album of the same name.
Gorillaz, created by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl co-creator Jamie Hewlett, released their seventh album Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez this year. The album is part of the Song Machine project that sees each single and its accompanying music video released as episodes within a web series. "The Valley of the Pagans" is the eighth episode and ninth single from the project. For this particular era, the band has incorporated video games heavily, titling a song "Pac-Man" featuring rapper ScHoolboy Q.
"The Valley of the Pagans" debuted last month on the band's interview with film and video game screenwriter Gary Whitta on his show Animal Talking, which is a late-night talk show hosted in Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Though there may be ever-decreasing reasons to buy Grand Theft Auto V for the next-gen due to the lack of upgrades, the Rockstar North title has become one of the most successful entertainment products in history. A music video from the legendary virtual band is just a reminder of the game's immense cultural significance and that despite the doubts of many, is set to repeat the success all over again for its third console generation.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and later on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.