E3 06: PSPs headed for Vice City

LOS ANGELES--A wave of jubilation followed by a quick turn to frustration hit fans of the Grand Theft Auto series yesterday. First, good news struck when Microsoft officially confirmed that the next-gen version of Grand Theft Auto was coming in October. The smile on their faces was temporary though, as said October was a ways away--in 2007, not 2006.

GTA fans jonesing for more 'jacking got a bit of a reprieve today, as Rockstar Games, who had been rather quiet before Tuesday, announced the next dose of their controversial series would be released in October...2006. Following last year's Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, Rockstar Leeds is bringing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories to the PSP on October 17, 2006 in North America and October 20 in Europe.

Like LCS before it, VCS will be set in familiar territory compressed to fit on the PSP. It will also feature a new storyline with new missions, but no specific details, including the identity of a protagonist or a time period, were divulged.

"The success of Liberty City Stories on the PSP system was nothing short of spectacular," said Rockstar Games' Sam Houser. "We are excited to once again give our audience a fresh experience in one of their favorite locales in the Grand Theft Auto series, Vice City."

Today's announcement may not come as a surprise to all. In addition to being the next logical step in the series (is GTA: San Andreas Stories around the corner?), Vice City Stories became the subject of rumors when a GTA fan unveiled the Web site www.vicecitystories.com. The simple black page had an authentic-looking logo and the words "Coming 2006 to PSP," but was later revealed simply as an opportunity "just to fool people." The site has since been taken down, and the URL redirects surfers to a GTA fan site.