Last week Midway announced a new title, This is Vegas, set to release later this year. The open-world game looks to be a Grand Theft Auto knock-off with perhaps a bit of a satirical flair.

While perusing the press release, we couldn't help wondering whether Midway execs had bowed to political and/or legal pressure over the game's title. GamePolitics readers may recall that in March of 2007 we covered a dust-up between Las Vegas city officials and Midway over the phrase Only in Vegas.

At the time, Las Vegas tourism bureaucrats (tourocrats?) had learned of Midway's trademarking of Only in Vegas and felt that it was too similar to the phrase Only Vegas, which had been registered by city officials in 2003.

Eleven months on, the game has been formally announced by Midway. If Only in Vegas was the planned title (and that seems likely) it has now been changed to This is Vegas. An e-mail to Midway's P.R. rep asking for comment and clarification on the issue did not receive a response.

TV news Las Vegas Now also hit a brick wall while seeking comment on the upcoming This is Vegas:

This game skewers Las Vegas with wife swapping tycoons, pretentious party-goers and more.

Like other games, it includes a lot of gun violence, fighting and even clear drug use... It's not for kids or even the sensitive...

This is Vegas is produced by Midway Games. They declined interview requests today, as did the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.

The station has a video report on the upcoming game, which will be released for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.