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GTA: Chinatown Wars hitting PSP Oct. 20

[UPDATE] Rockstar dates port of its critically acclaimed handheld Grand Theft Auto game; first screenshots inside.

The graphic-novel style panels will look crisper on the PSP.

The graphic-novel style panels will look crisper on the PSP.

Two months after it was first announced, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars has a release date. The PSP port of the Rockstar Leeds-developed DS game, released on March 17, will ship in the US on October 20, according to Rockstar Games' official Twitter feed. The game has not yet been rated or priced, but the original version is rated M for Mature and sells for $34.99 when it's not on sale. It will be available both as a UMD-based game and a digital download for the UMD-drive-less PSP Go, which goes on sale October 1.

Lighting and textures will also look better.

Lighting and textures will also look better.

The original Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will go down as one of the great game paradoxes of 2009. Despite being the highest rated DS game of all time on Metacritic and GameSpot, the Rockstar Leeds-developed title was only a middling performer at retail. Despite the DS handheld's massive US installed base, Chinatown Wars sold less than 90,000 units in its debut month. However, it has cleared over 228,000 copies to date domestically, according to the NPD Group.

The HUD will also look sharper.

The HUD will also look sharper.

More successful were the two GTA games for the PSP, Liberty City Stories and Vice City Stories, which have sold over 1.6 million units and 960,000-plus units in the US. (Both games were later ported to the PlayStation 2.) However, when Chinatown Wars was announced for the PSP, it perplexed many because it was unclear how the original's touch-screen-intensive gameplay and, by PSP standards, crude graphics would translate onto Sony's handheld. [UPDATE] Now, Rockstar has released the first screenshots, which show it will have sharper widescreen graphics, improved lighting, and a slightly tweaked HUD.

167 Comments

  • Liamguy01

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 6:47 pm GMT

    For this type of thing, it's either amazing or a absolute disgrace to gaming.
    I am just going to sit back and wait for the reviews. It's pretty hard for rockstar to actually make a bad game, but there's always a first time..........
    That said, this game looks awesome and I'm totally crossing my fingers for another rockstar masterpiece, and I mean, hey, if rockstar can do it on the DS, the psp should be a pushover.

  • GBPackersrule

    Posted Sep 1, 2009 1:22 pm GMT

    "gamespot, ign, and even metacritic all gave GTA DS a higher score when compared to the other two GTA titles that was released for the PSP."

    Did you ever consider that the DS didn't have any GTA game to speak of? It did critically well for the same reason The Conduit got the Wii fangirl community to cream their pants. It was the first of its kind. I can bet you $1,000,000 that if The Conduit was released as is on the 360 or PS3, it would have been nominee for worst game of the year. But since Nintendo didn't have anything like that, CTW seemed like the greatest thing since sliced bread. It clearly isn't.

  • GBPackersrule

    Posted Sep 1, 2009 1:16 pm GMT

    Why do we get this terrible up top view? They made Vice City Stories and Liberty City stories feel like an actual GTA, so why do we get this watered down port? The DS owners don't want it so we get their scraps? Got it. If you are going to give us a port over, make it an actual GTA. Not this stupid up top junk. Unless they change it to the way LCS was, count me out.

  • Gatcho

    Posted Sep 1, 2009 6:29 am GMT

    i usually do not engage with topics such as this one because it's usually a contest on who's the biggest fanboy and already there are numerous posts from those kind of people here. they laugh at the fact that CTW didn't sell well and automatically comes up with the conclusion that its because it's not a good game that was released on an inferior console. they have forgotten that the PSP is selling a lot less when compared to the DS. tell them that and they will say that is because a lot of kids have the DS, your graphics is lame, your games are meant for girls, i shoot guns while you use your stylus to cook, i'm a gaming dork with no life, wah-wah. fanboys will always be fanboys who measure their manhood based on the games that they play. they even call themselves a "real" gamer when they're the ones who limit themselves to specific games, genres, and console units. sigh!

    i used to enter quake and starcraft tournaments, i have GTA, tons of racing games, and street fighter on my PC. i don't know about you guys but i personally don't feel less of a man just because i use a console with a wider range of genres on-the-go. and this is pretty much it for me with this topic. you guys have a good one =)

  • Gatcho

    Posted Sep 1, 2009 6:29 am GMT

    @ Kyuubi_Vegetto: yes those titles did. but that was not my point. like what I have said, the quality of the game(s) or unit itself cannot be measured by sales alone. even if other GTA titles on the PSP sold a lot more compared to CTW, that doesn't mean those games were better "gameplay" wise. you have to consider the target audience if they are actually interested with mature rated games (or if they will at least be able to get their hands on it), the price of the game, piracy issues, etc.

  • PrimusTool

    Posted Sep 1, 2009 1:15 am GMT

    I didn't buy GTA Chinatown wars for DS at first because I thought GTA4 was disappointing. Once it dropped to $20 I bought it and ended up liking it more than GTA4.

    I can't imagine Chinatown Wars working as well on PSP, but it might.

  • ascalon94

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 7:02 pm GMT

    I honestly dont think we need this on the PSP. Give us a real GTA like Liberty City and Vice City Stories, classic portable games....idk maybe San Andreas Stories... whatever just give me something worth my money. I mean this belongs on the DS

  • Tornado_Volcano

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 3:47 pm GMT

    Chinatown Wars is a terrific game. It's just a shame that most DS owners are casual gamers that don't apreciatee good games...

  • Kyuubi_Vegetto

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 3:26 pm GMT

    fps_d0minat0r
    maybe cus PSP is better then DS???

    Drop the crack.

    Gatcho

    gamespot, ign, and even metacritic all gave GTA DS a higher score when compared to the other two GTA titles that was released for the PSP.

    But at the end of the day those games had better sales than Chinatown Wars and system demographics had nothing to do with that.

  • fps_d0minat0r

    Posted Aug 31, 2009 4:25 am GMT

    lmfao!!!

    "look better"
    "look crisper"
    "look sharper"

    maybe cus PSP is better then DS???

    atleast it will have real gameplay because the PSP is capable of offering more then 2d minigames to compensate for lame graphics.

  • beny_pimpster

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 11:49 pm GMT

    haha hope sales goes well most of the ds users just dont feel the love for gta

  • Ghetto_Supastar

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 3:57 pm GMT

    I'm ready for October 20 to visit GTA once again.

  • master_zidane

    Posted Aug 30, 2009 12:21 am GMT

    Chinatown WARS! Finally on the PSP!

  • KrzyJoe

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 10:33 pm GMT

    ooh yeah im gettin this

  • MariusGta

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 8:14 pm GMT

    i just hope the camera won't be like the one in gta II ))) omg!!!! i want it like the other gta's and not like CTW

  • Decepticon_11

    Posted Aug 29, 2009 1:26 pm GMT

    Better than the DS version

  • GOAT_DUDE

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 4:31 pm GMT

    look anik786 when have you ever seen a crappy rockstar game?

  • tttttank

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 1:16 pm GMT

    it is a good game, but they will have to get rid of the cool touchscreen minigames and generally slidy interface, theres no way you can replace that. what theyll have is movement via either the dpad or anouloge stick, and then while driving use one to throw stuff in any direction, so my geuss is the analouge will be used for throwing and d-pad for movement, sure the graphics will be better but the charm of the game is using the stylus for things, it just makes the missions less repetitive, i think the loss of the touch screen could make it a dodgy port

  • HendrixJ92

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 8:30 am GMT

    I was hoping for a San Andreas Stories, but this game looks pretty good. I have the DS version of it, which is a suprisingly awesome game.

  • anik786

    Posted Aug 28, 2009 6:55 am GMT

    I'll defiantly get the game, but honestly i think it's gonna be crap and the only reason i think they're doing this is becuase they want the extra cash.When they first announced it i thought it will be a completely revamped version and be similar to vice city/ liberty stories

  • sagameister3

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 4:26 pm GMT

    It definitely looks like the psp will do the game justice in graphics and sales, even without the touchscreen interface.

  • NuKkU

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:52 pm GMT

    thats cool i might just get this

  • blancobo

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 10:25 am GMT

    No Chinatown wars for me. I want to see the San Andreas Stories game FIRST! I loved the LCS and the VCS installments and now am missing this one!

  • hi-buzz

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 9:28 am GMT

    oh yeah, and where is San Andreas Stories....!!!!

  • hi-buzz

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 8:16 am GMT

    they said it is gonna be a port with enhanced graphics, NOT a 3D makeover like the other GTA's for psp....

  • 00_raiser

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 7:17 am GMT

    After soul calibur and the GT, i think this one would be my next collections. GTA series in fact, are several of the best games in decade. Hope for awesome stuff from developer.

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 6:35 am GMT

    @Linkman0714

    GTA on the DS was a good game I'm not saying that...I also think it is better in many respects then it's console brothers.

    But it was way short, lacked depth and should not be considered the "absolute best" game on the DS (according to www.metacritic.com)

  • famz_1

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 5:16 am GMT

    Can't Wait!!!!!

  • Gatcho

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 5:14 am GMT

    please be reminded that gamespot, ign, and even metacritic all gave GTA DS a higher score when compared to the other two GTA titles that was released for the PSP. GTA CTW offered new things that hasn't been offered with any other GTA titles. unlike some games that they do nothing but enhance the graphics and people will automatically consider it a better game. so unless your head is stuck in this world where graphics=fun, then you guys wouldn't be able to understand why people who rate games for a living doesn't agree with your opinions.

    you can say things like "the touch screen were in there to compensate for its poor graphics". some people can combat that with "the psp graphics is better to compensate for its lack of innovation and game titles". its a no-win situation when you're dealing with closed-headed fanboys. and I thought the psp fanboys doesn't consider "sales" as proof of excellence? now they're using that against GTA DS? does that mean the PSP and PS3 are flops as well because they're both at the bottom of the charts? no, right? different game consoles are there to satisfy different people's taste ... learn to respect that.

  • ChidoriBoyU

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 3:26 am GMT

    WOW! GTA is coming to the psp i'm so excited *sarcasm*

  • Kermyt

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 2:33 am GMT

    Come on it was a superb game. I enjoyed it immensely (age 34).
    The DS seems to have two problems: a) kids buy it to groom their cats and dogs b) adults buy it and download the roms.

    Mind you if the piracy was stopped with the DS would it really sell that well. It needs more games like GTA, simples.

  • aaaaaa12

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:37 am GMT

    lol i wanna see if it sells since the ds version sold BADLY considering the other psp games were a hit.

  • fps_d0minat0r

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:35 am GMT

    and btw, DS might have touch screen but id rather have a thumb stick to move the character.

  • fps_d0minat0r

    Posted Aug 27, 2009 1:34 am GMT

    @ penpusher

    yes there is something wrong with it.......

    the touch screen puzzles were in there to compensate for its poor graphics.

    if they dont make the graphics better and take out the puzzles then obvisouly its gonna flop.

    and the only way i see GTA, is an action packed adventure.......not doing silly puzzles like hotwiring a car.....oh how fun.

    id rather play patapon, n+, lumines, rubics cube homebrew ect ect if i wanted to play puzzle games.

    @ cube-gage
    depth of gameplay is increased with visuals, and visuals also improve the physics of the game most of the time.

  • cube-gage

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 7:49 pm GMT

    I never had a problem with the visuals, alot of dumbasses are like omg look at those crappy headlights. But I was like, its friggin cell shaded and doesnt detract from the gameplay. The thing that did bother me was the lack of real music, i dont understand why the DS has to use midi sounds in this day and age. Surely it is capable of playing digital music straight from the standard cartridge? Couldnt rockstar put the music in ogg format or something and included a small app and codec on the retail game? Either way on psp it better have music, and considering the tiny size this game will take up on umd there is plenty of room for music.

  • mike2640

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 7:41 pm GMT

    Hmm, I don't know...the GTAs on the PSP have all been good so far, but this one was designed for the DS, where the focus was more on intriguing touch-screen minigames than powerful graphics. Seems like the minigames would be more of an annoyance than fun on the PSP. But I hope it does well, it's such a good game, I was sorry my fellow DS owners didn't help it sell better...

  • penpusher

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 5:10 pm GMT

    I imagine it wil still look the same on the PSP people,,,dont go expecting a big remake given how little money the original made ... theres nothing wrong with it as is.

    Might do better on the psp, safe to say there is a more receptive audience on this particular console (this coming from a DS gamer)

  • no_cultureicons

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 4:52 pm GMT

    Bah. So much for a DS exclusive! I doubt it'd play well on my PSP anyway because my analogue stick has a mind of it's own.

  • ermPSPgamer

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 3:44 pm GMT

    i hope it will look like the other GTA games, I can't take that 2d ****

  • BlueFlameBat

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 2:50 pm GMT

    It's probably going to be remade to look more like the other GTA games on PSP.

  • Flint247

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 2:20 pm GMT

    I wonder if the game will still look the same on the PSP.

  • msg21998

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 1:34 pm GMT

    nice

  • lam_jeremy

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:45 pm GMT

    well wrong product placement.... look at the current DS games and you know GTA doesnt fit... But on the PSP...its a different story...

  • roosuu

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:39 pm GMT

    Eh without the touch screen, it would not be the same.

  • captaincheese77

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:19 pm GMT

    I'm hoping it stays with the isometric perspective, games like that work really well on PSP cos the lack of a second analogue stick isn't a problem

  • Generic_Dude

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:14 pm GMT

    @Vargasr: I THINK you're right, but I HOPE you're not.

  • Vargasr

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 12:04 pm GMT

    i think that it will be a quick and dirty port, a little better graphics, a few extra levels and there you go (hopefully i'm wrong.)

  • cube-gage

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 11:24 am GMT

    I wonder if we will ever see a gta san andreas stories? I think it would be hard work to downsize that.

  • DrKill09

    Posted Aug 26, 2009 11:24 am GMT

    I really don't see the point. This game was meant for the DS. The PSP already has two GTA's.

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