Grand Theft Auto IV will offer gamers more than just a well conceived game; players will be able to "tag" and later purchase music which they hear in-game.
GTA IV owners will have access to Niko's BitterSweet, or other, mobile device and will be able to utilize it to order music from Amazon MP3. Rrockstar has made the process simple and all players will have to do, is dial ZIT-555-0100 from their in-game cellphone when they hear a song they like on one of the game's 16 radio stations. After the game, logging in to the Rockstar social network website will allow users to preview and purchase the songs they enjoyed in Amazon MP3's 256-Kbps, DRM-free format for 99 cents each or less.
This move will take advantage of one of the game's strongest features, the carefully selected music and is the final step in turning the GTA franchise into one enormous shopping mall. When a game is expected to sell over 9 million copies however, it is only natural that record companies would be interested in capitalizing on that popularity.
Amazon MP3 is seen, by most record labels, as the rising force that will strengthen their negotiating power with the current MP3 leader, Apple's iTtunes. In that light, the DRM free, high quality offer makes sense and should appeal to gamers and music lovers alike.
Amazon MP3 also offers the The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV compilation, for USD 8.99, which includes music from Bob Marley, Busta Rhymes, The Prodigy and Nas.
This deal is an example of how the music industry is attempting to expand its electronic presence by using the popularity of video games but at the same time offering better value for money by releasing its products from DRM and quality restrictions.