Grand Theft Auto jacking PSP

Gamers who still haven't decided whether to buy a PSP got an added incentive to pick one up today, as Rockstar Games announced that it is bringing two of its top franchises to Sony's portable. First up is a handheld version of the upcoming street-tuner racer Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition. The console version of the game will hit Xboxes and PlayStation 2s in April.

However, what got gamers most excited was Rockstar's revelation that it is bringing its überpopular Grand Theft Auto series to the PSP. Rather than being a straight port of a previous installment, the PSP GTA will be a new game set in Liberty City, the backdrop for the revolutionary Grand Theft Auto III. The game will be the fourth portable Grand Theft Auto game, following last year's tepidly received Grand Theft Auto Advance and two titles for the Game Boy Color in 1999 and 2000.

"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 Games president Sam Houser.

Both Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition and Grand Theft Auto for the PSP are being developed at Rockstar Leeds in the UK. Until last year, the internal studio was better known as Mobius Entertainment, developer of Max Payne for the Game Boy Advance. Rockstar Games purchased and renamed the then-independent developer in April 2004.

Rockstar's announcement also revealed that both games "are expected to be available near the launch of the PSP handheld system in North America and Europe." According to statements made by Sony Computer Entertainment CEO Ken Kutaragi last week, the US launch of the PSP "will probably be March." Kutaragi also said that Sony "would like to launch in Europe during March as well."

GameSpot will have more details on Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition and Grand Theft Auto for the PSP as they emerge.