Today the internet exploded, showering fragments of fanboy everywhere. The reason for this gruesome explosion? The shocking announcement of Grand Theft Auto 5 by Rockstar which appeared out of the blue on their site, along with a logo and a message stating that the first trailer for the game would be arriving on Novemeber 2nd.

Rumours that the next GTA title would be set in the city of Los Angeles have been floating around the internet for almost a year, but now Kotaku are claiming that source familiar with the game has confirmed that the game will indeed be set in Los Angeles. They also claim that multiple sources have been telling them that GTA V would have multiple playable characters, something seen in GTA IV and its two expansion packs.

Perhaps the biggest point of note from the announcement, however, is the inclusion of a number in the title of the game. Rockstar have often stressed that GTA III was a major shift for their franchise and by giving GTA IV a number as well it indicated yet another major shift for the series. Should this continue to prove true then we can expect GTA V to be something special.

Here’s hoping it takes back a little of the bonkers nature that made GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas so much fun.

Of course the announcement of this next title in the major franchise and the trailer coming on November second has suddenly turned the dead serious battle between Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 into a small catfight.