If we are not mistaken, the Midnight Club franchise is probably one of the first titles that featured street car racing. It's owned by Rockstar Games (San Diego) and the earlier versions always used fictional vehicles because automobile manufacturers didn't want to be associated with the illegal sport.

That didn't stop Rockstar though from creating more titles for the series and in fact, it just announced fourth installment Midnight Club: Los Angeles for platforms Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (PS3). There's still no details available for this game but Rockstar promised that it will remain true to the franchise's open-world racing-at-break-neck-speed setting.

Midnight Club series producer Jay Panek mentioned that their goal with Midnight Club: Los Angeles is to evolve on all possible levels and stay true to the hardcore gaming experience the series is known for. Likewise, Rockstar Games Founder and Executive Producer Sam Houser commented,

Rockstar San Diego looks to once again push the boundaries and expectations of what a racing game can be. Rockstar San Diego has always been the technology leader in delivering the ultimate racing experience, and with this game, they are looking to re-define the idea of a completely immersive racing game experience, both offline and online.

Given the relative success of the franchise, we wouldn't be surprised if real cars will start appearing on this game. As always, you'll hear about more details as soon as we get them.