Rockstar announced some exciting news for Midnight Club fans, who are getting a free new area of the city in addition to some paid downloadable content.

The "South Central Upgrade Map" provides players with a whole new area of the city, about one-third the size of the original map, and will be available for free. This area features L.A. landmarks such as Exposition Park, the USC campus, Shrine Auditorium, Crenshaw Plaza, and the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and stretches south to the 105 Freeway. In addition to the free new city area, players will be able to purchase the "South Central Content Pack" which includes new character competitions, races, cars and music available in a single complete package. The new vehicles include a variety of cars and a motorcycle. Also making an appearance for the first time in Midnight Club: Los Angeles will be SUVs, a longtime favorite of the series' fans.

As the studios that made Grand Theft Auto IV and Midnight Club Los Angeles have demonstrated, Rockstar does an excellent job building cities with character. Their expansive New York Liberty City and their squished down Los Angeles are beautiful and evocative. I look forward to seeing Rockstar's latest-gen presentation of South Central, a location they know well from the opening of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. SUVs were a conspicuous omission from the latest Midnight Club, but it seems like luxury cars already fill the role of heavy bruisers that can plow through traffic. I'm not sure how SUVs will fit into the overall scheme of things. Also, new music is a great idea that I hope to see in The Lost and Damned downloadable expansion for GTA4.

Based on the way Midnight Club plays, it almost sounds like you'll get South Central for free, but if you want anything to do down there besides create your own races, you'll have to pay. If so, very clever, Rockstar. And I find it interesting that Rockstar is offering for free what Burnout developer Criterion is charging for and vice versa. The new island in Burnout Paradise will cost money, but their new vehicles have been free. Now Rockstar is offering a whole new area for free, but they're charging money for the vehicles.

Both the free South Central area and the paid content will be available "early next year".