Will GTA IV become the most played game on Live?

[Scotracer]

Currently, the top played games on Xbox LIVE are Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3. Soon both of those games could be trumped by a little known game called Grand Theft Auto IV. Now I’m not saying that hundreds of thousands of people aren’t going to continue playing CoD4 and Halo 3 on a daily religious basis but, if GTA’s sales on the last generation of consoles is any indication on what’s in store eight days from now, Rockstar’s first major attempt at online multiplayer in a GTA game could be the next big thing in online play.

I’m not saying this just because this is a GTA game and is guaranteed to be one of the best selling games on the Xbox 360 and PS3 for the rest of these consoles lives. I’m saying this because Rockstar appears to be putting some pretty serious effort into the online portion of the game. For those of you who may not have read the hands-on previews that have popped up in the past couple of weeks (1UP, IGN, CVG, GS), let me give you a little breakdown of what GTA IV will offer up in its online play.

GTA IV will support up to 16 players on both Xbox LIVE and PLAYSTATION Network. There will be 15 modes for online play, including standard Deathmatch, not so standard racing, Cops ‘N’ Crooks (one team of police officers must stop the other team of criminals from escaping), and Mafia (players try to complete an objective before their opponents). The game will allow you to chat will all your teammates in game with a headset, you can even use the in-game cellphone to call individual players for a more private chat.

So, come April 29th, don’t be surprised if many on your friends list want to play GTA IV’s multiplayer instead of joining you in a deathmatch on CoD4 or Halo 3.

Will GTA IV become the most played game on LIVE? at That VideoGame Blog

That's an interesting question. My impression is that at first it will become the most played game but I don't see it having the lasting appeal of something such as Halo 3 or COD4 (ranking systems and more confined competitive playing field) so after a while the player counts will drop and then you'll get people just playing it the odd time.

[bevo1981]

agreed. regardless of how good the multiplayer is, it will be the most played game on live simply because of sales. if everyone is buying the game and playing it, then they are also playing the multiplayer which simply means less people playing COD4 and Halo3. and by the time the 'new' wears off the game, in a few months, maybe people will gradually return to the older games.

[Sir Charles]

I think its obviously going to be the No1 game played while CONNECTED to live, but actual online multiplayer I'm not so sure.

[ElderScroller27]

I have always just assumed that there is a Core Group of long term users on Xbox live who amount to more then 50% of the xbox live membership. If that is true then we can be pretty sure of what games will be hot and for how long until everyong goes back to their favorites.
But out of curiosity how do I find out if the Majority of the Core Group on xbox live is staying the same with new people being initiated into it, or is the long term Core Group of gamers just a minority with alot of new people joining up on Xbox live?

[ReaperMojo]

the only open world multi player i have ever played and realy enjoyed is crackdown. if it was more like it, i think it will be on top for a long long time.

[Pepper Jack]

scott there is no lasting appeal to halo 3...it's gash lol

i can see GTA being one of those games that literally everyone on you rlist is playing when it first comes out, some will stop and begin to play other games of course, but for the most part i think GTA is going to be #1 for a very long time

[friedkarma]

Games like H3 and COD4 were built from the ground up with multiplayer in mind. Though GTA4 will offer co-op, its still primarily a single person game.

[Kona Palangi]

I expect a large influx of GTA LIVE traffic during the initial week and possibly weeks following launch but as Karma stated, it is primarily SP and most avid versus players will revert back to CoD4 gaming.

[BRUTAL1TY]

At first, I thought it was simply not possible for COD4 to fall to GTAIV. But...
The more I read about free-mode in GTAIV, the more excited I get. I think a lot of people could have fun and spend large amounts of time doing whatever in this mode. If it's as polished and smooth as we all hope and read (i.e. the hype-machine), then it very well may top COD4. Until then!

[Pepper Jack]

since GTA 4 was announced i've thought it will top every game on day 1, **** cod 4 after gta comes out

[IIJoshIII]

It will be #1 for quite awhile. People will leave their CoD4 and Halo 3 to play it, then go back to their norm after it gets BOOORIIINNNGGGG.

[axeman2008]

It'll be awesome.... well for a few months anyway.

[rabbitc]

three words as to why the answer is 'YES!!!' - Free Roaming Mode

[BRUTAL1TY]

Originally Posted by rabbitc

three words as to why the answer is 'YES!!!' - Free Roaming Mode

My thoughts exactly! Imagine the hilarity that would ensue! The goal could be to climb to the highest point in Liberty City, murder every hooker in existence, run around shooting car tires, whatever! Or hell, just search through EVERYTHING!

It's gonna be so sweet.

[bevo1981]

i wet myself just thinking about it

[Pepper Jack]

Originally Posted by BRUTAL1TY

My thoughts exactly! Imagine the hilarity that would ensue! The goal could be to climb to the highest point in Liberty City, murder every hooker in existence, run around shooting car tires, whatever! Or hell, just search through EVERYTHING!

It's gonna be so sweet.

we shall free roam brut...we SHALL free roam!!!

[Boost King]

Originally Posted by Kona Palangi

I expect a large influx of GTA LIVE traffic during the initial week and possibly weeks following launch but as Karma stated, it is primarily SP and most avid versus players will revert back to CoD4 gaming.

I agree, but I will also add that apart from the online component, GTA is a massive single player experience which really in my opinion still will count for the majority of playtime.

I think it will die down after a short while.

Boost

[rabbitc]

agree Boost - I think there will be a lull until the 'hours of gameplay' for single player elapses - and then Live shall erupt.

[bevo1981]

reports say single player could take 100 hours. sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet