Gang Wars promotes 'big force' in Konami Europe development

Konami Europe's Crime Life: Gang Wars for PS2, Xbox and PC signals a new phase of development for the company, it said today, adding a Grand Theft Auto-alike title to its portfolio before the end of 2005.

"It's showing our commitment to using European talent," said Konami PR spokesperson Steve Merrett. "We've used Kuju for The Regiment, for example. We hope to have Konami Europe R&D as a big force eventually, and this is one of its key titles."

The game will be shown at E3.

Crime Life sets the players as a "small-time homie who must work their way through the ranks to become a gang leader," according to Konami, and will also supply ample morale fibre for the more squeamish in the audience (including the censors). Movies New Jack City, Boyz 'n the Hood and Menace to Society have all been mentioned as influences this morning.

It's going to be a gang-based affair, all set in Grand Central City. Action and strategy are the named genres, although this is likely to boil down to "shooting people".

Crime Life is being developed at Konami Europe's own development facility, and will be the latest game created by the unit after Apocalyptica and Casino, Inc. The Regiment, mentioned above, is an FPS for PS2 and PC, although little is known of the game currently. Further titles from KoE development are yet to be announced, with a total of five or six currently in the works.