Back in 2000, Rockstar Games pulled out all the stops to hype the launch of Midnight Club: Street Racing. Famous nowadays for its controversial marketing stunts, Rockstar executed one of its most infamous tricks early on, closing Times Square in New York City one night. Its mission? Get the perfect photo ops for the game's box art and promotion.
Rockstar’s bold takeover of Times Square in the name of Midnight Club
As a promotion that could only be orchestrated by a company such as Rockstar Games, Times Square was actually cordoned off for an evening in order to facilitate a photo shoot unlike any other. The game publisher obtained licenses from the City of New York in 2000, turning one of the planet's busiest crossroads into a playground for photographers and altered street racers. This operation was all for Midnight Club: Street Racing, the studio's then-new urban racing franchise.
The images captured that evening would eventually serve as the basis of the game's box art and advertising posters. It was an edgy, cinematic statement that fit in beautifully with Rockstar's down-and-dirty, stylish vision of street racing done underground. The evening involved real-enhanced cars set against the bright glow of New York's neon cityscape, namely, a yellow Mazda MX-6, a Toyota Supra, and an iconic police car, all of which appear in the final artwork.
Rare photos from Rockstar’s legendary Midnight Club shoot keep the nostalgia alive
Over two decades since Rockstar's now-iconic Times Square photo shoot , uncommon behind-the-scenes shots from the evening still crop up. One such collection belongs to Dustin Worles, an early owner of the yellow Mazda MX-6 used in the photo shoot. These previously unreleased shots, taken on the set, provide a glimpse into the creative process behind one of Rockstar's most ambitious promotional stunts.
The vehicles take center stage: the Mazda, the Supra, and that legendary police car, all posed in an almost empty Times Square, set ablaze by giant billboards. For old-time Midnight Club fans, it's a throwback to a pivotal moment in the series' history that captures Rockstar's cinematic sensibility even at its marketing level.
With no new Midnight Club game since 2008, these rediscovered images are both a celebration of the series' origins and a nostalgic reminder of an adored franchise fans still hold out for one more day.
Also Read: All eyes on May 15: Take-Two earnings call could decide GTA 6’s fate
Rockstar’s bold takeover of Times Square in the name of Midnight Club
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As a promotion that could only be orchestrated by a company such as Rockstar Games, Times Square was actually cordoned off for an evening in order to facilitate a photo shoot unlike any other. The game publisher obtained licenses from the City of New York in 2000, turning one of the planet's busiest crossroads into a playground for photographers and altered street racers. This operation was all for Midnight Club: Street Racing, the studio's then-new urban racing franchise.
The images captured that evening would eventually serve as the basis of the game's box art and advertising posters. It was an edgy, cinematic statement that fit in beautifully with Rockstar's down-and-dirty, stylish vision of street racing done underground. The evening involved real-enhanced cars set against the bright glow of New York's neon cityscape, namely, a yellow Mazda MX-6, a Toyota Supra, and an iconic police car, all of which appear in the final artwork.
Rare photos from Rockstar’s legendary Midnight Club shoot keep the nostalgia alive
Over two decades since Rockstar's now-iconic Times Square photo shoot , uncommon behind-the-scenes shots from the evening still crop up. One such collection belongs to Dustin Worles, an early owner of the yellow Mazda MX-6 used in the photo shoot. These previously unreleased shots, taken on the set, provide a glimpse into the creative process behind one of Rockstar's most ambitious promotional stunts.
The vehicles take center stage: the Mazda, the Supra, and that legendary police car, all posed in an almost empty Times Square, set ablaze by giant billboards. For old-time Midnight Club fans, it's a throwback to a pivotal moment in the series' history that captures Rockstar's cinematic sensibility even at its marketing level.
With no new Midnight Club game since 2008, these rediscovered images are both a celebration of the series' origins and a nostalgic reminder of an adored franchise fans still hold out for one more day.
Also Read: All eyes on May 15: Take-Two earnings call could decide GTA 6’s fate
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