Grand Theft Auto returns to Liberty City for PSP debut
Rockstar Games have today confirmed the news that we long suspected: both Grand Theft Auto and Midnight Club 3 will be released for PSP this year.
But what has proven more of a shock to the system than a tazer to the tackle is the fact that this GTA is no mere rehash but a completely fresh game. What's more, according to Rockstar, both games are "expected to be available near the launch of the PSP handheld system in North America and Europe". With PSP due to hit the UK in March, GTA PSP could be as little as two months away from release.
Rumours of the games have been rife for weeks after gamesradar.com broke the news that Rockstar was working on two new 'premier' PSP titles in December. But even before that - in fact, as far back as April last year - it was apparent that the then newly acquired handheld specialists Mobius would be behind the company's move on to PSP. Mobius have since been renamed Rockstar Leeds and, as we expected, are behind both GTA and Midnight Club on PSP.
"Bringing two of our most successful game franchises to this thrilling new platform not only gives us an opportunity to create a new dimension for these already extraordinary series but also allows us to begin to explore the full potential of the PSP handheld system," said Rockstar president Sam Houser, without breathing.
"Sony's extremely impressive technology has allowed Rockstar Leeds to do more on a handheld machine than we could have ever imagined. We are very excited for gamers to experience these two genre-defining franchises in a fashion that could have never before been possible on a portable system."
At the moment, details on both titles are fairly vague but, naturally, it's the reworked GTA title that is attracting the most attention. Currently saddled with the cumbersome moniker of "the PSP version of Grand Theft Auto", it's an all-new adventure that is set in Liberty City, which we last saw in GTA III.
Which is all of the information that Rockstar have released so far, leaving plenty of opportunity for rampant speculation to begin. And who are we to hold back? After the disappointing GTA Advance, it seems unlikely that GTA PSP would revert to the old top-down 2D view. So if a 3D perspective seems assured, what we want to know is in which year it's set, whether the lead is going to be someone from Tommy V's past and what's going to happen with the series' trademark soundtrack.
The pocket version of Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition should be easier to predict, as it looks most likely to be an orthodox, if slightly shrunken, conversion of the console game (which is due out for Xbox and PS2 on 25 March) - a guess that seems to be backed up by the fact that the Leeds team are working closely with the same San Diego-based developers who have worked on the last three games in the Club series.
Not that the comparison between the handheld and the desktop versions seems to worry Gordon Hall, president of Rockstar Leeds, who added, "We understand that gamers' expectations will be very high for new PSP handheld system titles and we are confident that we can deliver exhilarating experiences that will set the standard for what a PSP game can be with Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition and our new Grand Theft Auto title."
We immediately got Rockstar on the blower for more info but unfortunately they weren't prepared or able to add anything. Bah. Also unable to comment was the mighty Ken Kutaragi of Sony but then he was probably too busy dancing around his office whooping in delight at the news that his handheld, and not Nintendo's, has secured what could be the killerest of all killer-apps.
Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition and Grand Theft Auto will be released for PSP in the spring
GTA PSP out this spring!
I think GT4 mobile and MGSacid is at the top of my list.
Linear Mode
