There are video games that are popular with gamers - Counter Strike, Half-Life, Halo - and then there are video games that become cultural phenomena. The audience is drawn not so much by the game itself as to the world or story that the game describes. Who can forget the comic carnage of Mortal Kombat? The crossing of the gender gap by Ms. Pac-Man and Ladybug? The legions of fans of all ages who would almost rather play Madden NFL than actually watch a real football game?

Well, for the latest generation, there is a game that has crossed the boundaries of geekworld into the mainstream consciousness - even Joe Lieberman knows about it. Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series is already a paradigm shift in what video games can be about. And that's why after GTA III in New York, and GTA: Vice City in Miami were such stand outs, SFist knew right where they were headed. After all, for a game involving stolen cars, drugs, prostitutes and random violence, you've got to set it in California!

is rumored to be complete and is to be released on October 26th according to Inside Gamers Online. Now the GTA 'cities' are stylized renditions, not strict simulacra, and GTA: San Andreas will take place in both the Southland and The City - under the pseudonyms Los Santos and San Fierro. Of course it's San Fierro we're pumped about - Bullitt is one of our favorite movies for a reason! We just can't wait to start careening around cable cars firing semi-automatic weapons at tourists, taking jumps off the hills in some suped-up Shelby Mustang clone. SFist is turning in their request for time off right now...

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas