It didn’t matter if Tom Petty was in a rock band or just performing as a solo artist, his talent and love for music helped him sell over 80 million albums and land a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sadly, in 2017, just one week after the final show of the Heartbreakers’ 40th Anniversary Tour, the guitarist passed away from an accidental drug overdose. While remembered for his talents on stage, it seems that Rockstar, the studio behind the new GTA VI, decided to honor the songwriter by using his famed “Love Is a Long Road” for their reveal trailer.
Videos by American Songwriter
Scheduled to release in 2025, Rockstar surprised fans all over the world on Monday when they decided to reveal the trailer a day early. According to some reports, a leak of the trailer caused the studio to release early. While the trailer is only 90 seconds, it packs a punch as it welcomes players back to Vice City. Introducing Lucia and Jason, the pair seem to be a new age telling of the famed Bonnie and Clyde love story. Besides glimpses of dirt bikes racing through traffic, people wrestling gators, and a vibrant nightlife, the newest installment of the GTA series marked a milestone with Lucia being the first female protagonist.
12 Years Later
With fans already beaming with excitement, GTA VI comes nearly 12 years after its predecessor. GTA V currently sits at second when it comes to best-selling video games. Released back in 2013, GTA V sold a staggering 190 million copies and brought in a little less than $8 billion in revenue.
[RELATED: The Meaning Behind Tom Petty’s Devastating Love Song “You Wreck Me”]
As for Petty, his “Love Is A Long Road” hit first released back in 1989 on the album Full Moon Fever. Looking at that year, the song landed the No. 7 spot on the Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Airplay chart.
Fans of both Petty and GTA VI praised the trailer with one person writing, “Ok, the GTA 6 trailer and its use of the bangin Tom Petty song Love is a Long Road has ensured I will be doing all I can to survive until 2025.”
(Photo by Jeff Gentner/Getty Images)
