Gears of War frags Halo 2, now top XBL game

by Ross Miller { Nov 18th 2006 at 2:15PM }

According to Major Nelson's weekly Xbox Live Activity Report, Gears of War has taken over long-reigning champ Halo 2 as the most-played Xbox Live game. As it's only one week of dominance we can't say much for long-term ramifications, but it's about time an Xbox 360 game out-played an original Xbox title.

While one can argue that these titles feature disparate styles of gameplay, they both fill that online shooter category in ways that are not mutually exclusive. We don't think Gears of War could ever steal the thunder of Halo 3 -- with just one screenshot, Bungie can incite its fanbase into a frenzy -- but it does help tide fans over while giving them a new perspective on the online shooter genre. Hypothetically, how might Gears' success influence Bungie while fine tuning Halo 3's play mechanics?

We'll know in a few weeks if Gears' popularity is anything more than a fling, or if a new game should be crowned king of XBL.

[Thanks, Shoehead and Sherveen Mashayekhi]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Corey @ Nov 18th 2006 2:29PM

I've been waiting for this announcement...after watching my friends list this week I knew it was bound to happen.

2ez @ Nov 18th 2006 2:32PM

So a badass space marine from the future combat game overthrew the other badass space marine from the future combat game. Cool.

Egarb @ Nov 18th 2006 2:36PM

No, a badass dude in self-powered armor from the army overthrew a badass space marine is self-powered armor.

The difference?

Masterchief wears a helmet.

2ez @ Nov 18th 2006 2:36PM

Oh. Thanks for clearing that up.

FSK405K @ Nov 18th 2006 2:42PM

With this news and the Gamespot review of Gears (9.6!), I'm considering getting a 360.

Lord_Satorious @ Nov 18th 2006 2:43PM

No, everyone knows the chainsaw bayonet beat the rifle buttstroke. It's really that simple.

P_40E @ Nov 18th 2006 2:53PM

Master Chief is a naval rank. So he's a badass space sailor, not a badass space marine.

J.R. @ Nov 18th 2006 3:10PM

I really would like to see active reload in Halo 3.

BklynKid @ Nov 18th 2006 3:19PM

I been playing this game since it came out. The multiplayer is awesome and knowing Epic there will be some freebie addons. I'm also playing through the singleplayer in Insame, it's uuuh... insane.

Kobayashi @ Nov 18th 2006 3:25PM

I doubt this will be just a fling. Epic's really got something with Gears, and I could see this trend continuing for weeks to come.

zer06ame @ Nov 18th 2006 3:27PM

not too surprised, but it's good to hear when i feel like playing on live there are a lot of others. i don't understand how all the review sites said insane is near impossible, i'm on act 3 on insane after about 4 hours, but then again, i've already beat the game on casual and hardcore.

funkonaut @ Nov 18th 2006 3:37PM

I have a huge complaint about the 360. It's noisy. The drive is complete crap, much like the Dreamcast's optical drive. I live in an apartment building and can't crank up my stereo while playing games. That and the backwards compatibility. I never owned an Xbox, so how am I supposed to explore the original Xbox games on the 360?

If they can release an updated 360 with a new optical drive and better backwards compatibility, they will easily earn my money.

azesino @ Nov 18th 2006 3:39PM

Behold the new King, Gears of War.

GoonieGooGoo @ Nov 18th 2006 3:42PM

Hmmm...will be interesting to see when the new HALO 2 Multiplayer content comes out next year.....though I loves the GOW.

Different game styles....both satisfying....Gamers are the winners.

azesino @ Nov 18th 2006 3:44PM

12. I have a huge complaint about the 360. It's noisy.

I think the early consoles where noisy, I gave my first(day one) 360 away to my Brother and bough a new one like 2 months ago, and its much more quiet, I belive the next series(coming out in december) will be as quiet as the PS3.

GoonieGooGoo @ Nov 18th 2006 3:44PM

HALO 3 needs to add the ability to block the sword....with another sword.

DUAL WIELD SWORDS BABY!!!

sploy @ Nov 18th 2006 4:04PM

"6...the rifle buttstroke"

Rifle Buttstroke, what is rifle buttstroke ?!?! That's off the perverted scale.

Anonymouse Rep @ Nov 18th 2006 4:37PM

Hey, funkonaut - "I never owned an Xbox, so how am I supposed to explore the original Xbox games on the 360?"

Hmmm - go to Xbox.com and check out the backwards compatibility list, then when you buy the V1 Xbox game, put it into your 360 and presuming you're online, you're good to go.

If you don't, for some reason, have broadband, then download the bc patch and burn it to a CD.

And if you don't have a CD burner but you DO have a 360 - then save $50 and go buy one from Wal-Mart or Best Buy - they're cheap enough now.

----

The feedback I've been getting in my stores is that Gears of War is satisfying that itch for a new shooter that had creeped up while everyone was waiting for Halo 3 and HaloWars.

It's good to have the best shooters out there.

kilodelta @ Nov 18th 2006 4:38PM

wait until they show a Gears of War 2 screenshot at next year's E3 or X07 and watch how it incites a frenzy.

Jeramy @ Nov 18th 2006 4:42PM

uhh, there's no point in duel wielding swords. it's pretty much an instant kill anyway. yeah, i agree, it would look totally badass, but the only thing practical it would do would be to sacrifice grenades.

smeggy g @ Nov 18th 2006 4:47PM

It's all good news for the xbox. Can't help feel that bungie might be feeling a little pressure though. They haven't said dick about halo3 for months. Gears comes out and they start singing like a canary. Don't get me wrong I love the halo, I just think it's a bit ironicle that tight lips bungie has changed it's tune.

unimental @ Nov 18th 2006 4:49PM

Gears has got the stuff. I've been playing online since launch and there's been tons of folks on each day.

I still suck at multiplayer, and many of you have likely killed me... but I keep coming back for more.

Oh yes, and online co-op with friends is very, VERY slick. More shooters need this option as an alternative to deathmatchs.

Lord_Satorious @ Nov 18th 2006 5:41PM

sploy, that what hitting someone with the butt (the end that isn't the muzzle) of a rifle is called, the military calls it a "buttstroke". There's three basic rifle butt attacks, the vertical and horizontal buttstroke, where you swipe the butt of the rifle into the enemy, and the frontal buttstroke, where you smash the butt of the rifle into the enemy. And yes, this is a killing maneuver.

Brad Lee @ Nov 18th 2006 6:14PM

Meh. I've tried the multiplayer on GOW and wasn't too impressed. I've never been a fan of quick round-based gameplay, it too often comes down to a one-on-one between the teams where neither player can seem to find the other one. This is why I loathed Counter-Strike. Quite literally, one time everyone but two people died in the first 45 seconds (of Counter-Strike) and for the next 12 minutes it was just those two running around in circles trying to find each other.

It is not as bad in GOW but I still hate that kind of gameplay.

I'd much prefer games with long rounds and respawns like Halo 2 or Unreal Tournament or something of that sort. But to each his own I suppose.

Arkon @ Nov 18th 2006 6:35PM

@12

When I first rented (yes, that's rented) an Xbox 360 Core off Rogers the thing was extremeley loud. But that was back in late December almost a year ago.

A few months later, on June 29, I bought an Xbox 360 Premium and despite sometimes puffing a lot of hot air out, it was generally quiet and still is. Usually, it's a very quiet system and I'm quite impressed with the noise level (which barely exists). So from where you get the idea that it's loud and noisy is only from the first wave of 360s having a ton of problems including noise level.

As for backwards compatability, there are hundreds of games on the Xbox that are playable on the 360. But of course the majority aren't.

diskoboy @ Nov 18th 2006 8:06PM

There's one reason why this game is on top - The Curbstomp.

There's nothing like squishing your enemy's head like a grapfruit with nothing but your morbidly-obese boots.

makesevenupyours @ Nov 19th 2006 2:23AM

"28. There's one reason why this game is on top - The Curbstomp.

There's nothing like squishing your enemy's head like a grapfruit with nothing but your morbidly-obese boots."

actually...i would say that is NUMBER 2.

though there is nothing like that, there is also NOTHING like revving up a chainsaw on the bottom of a gun and sawing somebody's body in half and watching the blood spray everywhere and then kicking them when they are lieing in peices.

but the curbstomp is still really bitchin.