Rockstar Games has announced two new apps it plans to release for the iPhone and the iPod touch. The games include Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and Beaterator. Respectively, the first title is a new mobile game based on the Grand Theft Auto franchise while Beaterator is a music-making application which turns an iPhone or iPod touch into a musical instrument.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars follows the story of Huang Lee who travels to Liberty City after the death of his father. Lee explores the streets of the city while uncovering crime and corruption within the Triad crime syndicate. The game is also currently available for the Nintendo DS while a PSP version of the game is expected in the fall.

Beaterator follows the trend of new music applications for the iPhone and iPod touch which turn the handheld into a music making device. The application allows users to create musical backgrounds in additions to beats and songs. Thousands of loops and sounds are available through the application which will also be available for the PSP September 29th.

Both appls are expected to be available through the iTunes Apps Store some time this fall. You can read more about the games at the Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and Beaterator websites.

Brian’s Opinion

Rockstar has made an impressive expansion into the handheld application market. In fact, the studio won the 2009 Develop Award for Best Handheld Game Studio. That’s a pretty good crown to wear, but with that crown will come some expectations from customers and fans.

It’s truly stunning how the first Grand Theft Auto game has expanded into a growing franchise for Rockstar. Sure, the studio received some bad press as a result of some of the content contained within the titles related to the franchise, but the fact of the matter is that people still bought the game and continue to do so. Honestly, it seems a little controversy has helped the franchise if anything.

I must admit that I’m a little surprised that Rockstar is offering a music making application for the iPhone. That’s the type of game/app that Rockstar doesn’t tend to dive into, but I suppose one could say there is a bit of a crossover between Grand Theft Auto and Beaterator since the music within Grand Theft Auto games has become as popular as the games themselves. Clearly, Rockstar wants to capitalize on this fact by allowing users to create their own soundtrack with Beaterator.