Warriors headed for PSP

With its wildly controversial PlayStation 2 game Bully arriving in stores this week, Rockstar Games has pulled the wraps off its next project: a PlayStation Portable edition of the company's mildly controversial PS2 and Xbox brawler The Warriors.

Named one of the 10 most violent games of 2005 by the Family Media Guide, The Warriors expanded on the story of the 1979 film of the same name. In the movie, the members of a street gang framed for murder must traverse New York City at night to return to the safety of their home turf. The game filled in gaps in the movie's plot and encompassed a wealth of backstory that movie audiences didn't get to see.

It's not quite clear to what extent the PSP edition of the Warriors will mirror either the film or last year's console games. Other film-to-game adaptations like Electronic Arts' The Godfather and Vivendi's Scarface have been significantly altered on their way to Sony's portable.

Rockstar founder Sam Houser said in a statement that the company was "looking forward to setting the definitive bar for the brawler genre" on the PSP, but that was quickly followed by Rockstar Leeds president Gordon Hall's comment that "the PSP system allows us to deliver the experience in an entirely different way..."

Whatever form The Warriors on the PSP takes, gamers can expect it on North American and European shelves by the end of the year. For more on last year's Warriors game, check out the full review.