Wait, Why is Tupac in Stranger Than Heaven!?

This is just a quick article that sort of follows up what I wrote earlier, rambling about celebrities in videogames, and this concerns the fact that… well… famous late rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur is in the upcoming title Stranger Than Heaven, coming out on the 15th of January, 2027.

Revealed during Summer Games Fest 2026, practically all talk about the RGG Studios’ latest title shifted when it was revealed. Tupac passed away in 1996, and now he is appearing in a new game over 30 years later… and I have no idea how to feel about that, to be honest.

Upon doing some research, I discovered that Tupac’s estate isn’t controlled by his family, but instead by Amaru Entertainment. Tupac doesn’t really have any surviving direct family. It was started by his mother in 1997 after her son’s death, but right now Tom Whalley is in charge of it, and there’s even a legal dispute with Tupac’s half-sister over who should control it. And hey, Snoop Dogg says it’s cool so… (shrugs).

I still have my issues with real-life celebrities appearing in my media, especially when it comes to videogames, but this feels wrong to me. Sure, feature historical figures like George Washington in Assassin’s Creed III or whatever, but this still feels too recent to be appropriate. It’s how I feel about how people are using Stan Lee’s image to make money, either through a documentary about his final years and how he’s been exploited (which, in itself, exploits him) or a company reviving him as an AI to read comics and greet people.

Actually, I do know how I feel: a little disturbed and disgusted.

But, I have to admit I am still looking forward to Stranger Than Heaven. It has a great premise, an amazing soundtrack, and I would like to see what it has other than having a dead celebrity, but it does leave a sour taste in my mouth by the fact that even three decades later, companies can still make money off of you even when you’ve long passed. I also really don’t like how developers like RGG are beginning to rely too much on star power when it’s the gameplay that really matters at the end of the day. When I finally kick the bucket, I’d rather go quietly into the night rather than dug up to dance, time and time again.

But what are your thoughts? Is Tupac featuring in Stranger Than Heaven a dealbreaker? Or are you just happy to see his memory live on through new media? Am I overreacting? Probably.