Rockstar readies latest GTA instalment

Rockstar has revealed a sliver of information regarding the latest instalment in the global phenomenon that is Grand Theft Auto, confirming the price and releasing box art for GTA: Vice City Stories.

Scheduled for release in the US on October 17th and heading to Europe on the 20th, the PSP title is being developed by Rockstar Leeds - the same studio responsible for the commercially successful Liberty City Stories - and will be priced at US$49.99 and GBP34.99 in the UK.

Rockstar is maintaining its traditional tight-lipped approach to marketing the game, revealing little or no information about the content other than a stock promise of "a new storyline, new missions and gameplay".

The distinct lack of information serves only to heighten consumer aniticpation of the title however, such is the popularity of the franchise amongst console and handheld gamers.

GTA: Liberty City Stories, which initially appeared as a PSP exclusive, was ported to the PlayStation 2, and is currently enjoying its fifth consecutive week at the top of the UK's all-formats sales chart.

Given the success of Liberty City Stories on the PS2 and the fact that Grand Theft Auto IV is still over a year away from release on next-gen consoles, it's highly likley that consumers will be able to play a PS2 version of this latest title after a few short months of PSP exclusivity.

As expected, Rockstar is declining to comment on the subject of a PS2 port at present.