Rockstar Games announced that it would release Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City in a “double-pack” for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox consoles. The Playstation 2 release date is October 22^nd and the Xbox release date is November 4^th.  A price for either pack has yet to be announced.  Obviously, the big news is that this announcement marks the first time Grand Theft Auto 3 or Grand Theft Auto: Vice City will appear on any console other than the PlayStation 2.  Here’s the official press release announcing the combo deal:

Rockstar Games, the world-renowned publishing division of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), announced today that it plans to ship the award-winning Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as a “double pack” for both the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox® video game system from Microsoft. The Grand Theft Auto “double pack” is set to hit shelves in North America on October 22, 2003 for PlayStation®2 and on November 4, 2003 for Xbox.

Developed by Rockstar North, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has long been applauded and praised for its expansive and open-ended gameplay, cinematic scripts, and epic soundtracks.  Since its introduction in 1997, the franchise has received countless awards of excellence and universal critical acclaim. With sales of more than 25 million units worldwide, Grand Theft Auto is one of the most recognized franchises in the history of the videogame marketplace.

Additional information about Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is available at: http://www.rockstargames.com/grandtheftauto.