14 DAY TRIAL // Iconic singer and songwriter Paul McCartney was recruited for the soundtrack of Bungie's just released sci-fi first person shooter Destiny, and apparently he didn't put any dents in the game's huge $500 / €387 million budget.
The former Beatles star did it for free, as Destiny Community Manager Eric Osbourne tells Vulture that there was "no check involved, big or otherwise."
Granted, Sir James Paul McCartney is wealthy enough not to require any form of payment for using his talents, but it's still a rare and puzzling occurrence.
Reach for the stars
"He's in it for the creativity He got a wonderful opportunity to reach an audience that wouldn't typically be immersed in Paul McCartney. They might hear the name — of course he's everywhere, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the Olympics, obviously he's touring and recording nonstop — but he sees it as a way to reach a new audience that might not otherwise hear his music," Osbourne explains.
McCartney contributed his new single, "Hope for the Future," the song that plays over Destiny's credits, as well as various orchestral pieces.
The musician is not the only star featuring performances in Destiny, as the game's voice cast also numbers consecrated actors Peter Dinklage and Nathan Fillion. Furthermore, the game's promotional efforts include a live-action video commercial directed by Joseph Kosinski of Oblivion and Tron: Legacy fame, set to the tune of Led Zeppelin's Immigrant Song.
An ambitious undertaking
The game's massive budget is meant to help it become publisher Activision's third billion-dollar franchise, following in the footsteps of Call of Duty and Skylanders.
This will be accomplished by shaking up the shooter formula, which usually relied on sending gamers on a rollercoaster ride through a series of linear missions. Bungie's effort sees a sprawling persistent world that gamers have to explore, engaging in various single and multiplayer activities.
Destiny features a ton of role-playing game elements, including gear with all kinds of stats that influence the way you approach engagements and accommodates different play styles, complete with three classes for players to choose from.
The first-person shooter has a wealth of content for players to enjoy, including cooperative multiplayer raids, as well as competitive PvP modes. Halo creators Bungie are trying to expand the limits of the shooter genre, and judging by the game's success, they might actually pull it off.
Paul McCartney's single was posted on YouTube, and understandably, it has been pulled due to copyright claims, but you can thank user BigCTV for uploading the credits scene, including McCartney's song, starting around the 2:20 mark.
