Plans to release Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City have been outed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
The two widly popular entries in the long-running open-ended violent franchise were originally released on the PS2.
Although neither Sony nor Rockstar has said anything about bringing them back as downloadable PS3 games, the new ratings on the ESRB’s website certainly seem to suggest that is in the works.
Both games are listed as what the ESRB refers to as “rating certificate updates.” This means that the PS3 listings for these two Grand Theft Auto games do not carry any new information. Instead, they are just carrying over the same ratings as the original PS2 versions.
What this implies almost beyond a shadow of a doubt is that the games would simply be direct, untouched replications of the original versions. It’s unlikely that any modifications, even refreshed HD graphics, will be made.
The ESRB used to be the culprit of many games being announced before the publisher ever said anything about it. However, the organization began allowing publishers to “schedule” when they wanted their ESRB ratings to go live on the ESRB site. Since then, there have been far fewer instances of leaked game names.
Still, GTA 3 and GTA Vice City on the PS3 is a nice surprise. Thanks, ESRB.
