Call of Duty 4 overtakes Halo 3 again, tops Xbox Live Activity

by Ross Miller { Feb 7th 2008 at 5:25PM }

Master Chief is yet again on the bottom position of the proverbial seesaw as Call of Duty 4 reclaims the top spot on the Xbox Live Activity list. The game initially overtook Halo 3 two weeks ago, before the Bungie shooter saw a resurgence in Gravity Hammer usage last week.

Usual contenders Gears of War, Rock Band and Guitar Hero III rounded out the top five. Two demos -- Devil May Cry 4 and Turok -- claimed the sixth and eighth spots, respectively. Will Halo 3 yet again heed the call and try to overthrow its duty-bound nemesis? We're expecting an enormous rise in Bomberman Live to settle this feud once and for all.

Tags: call-of-duty, call-of-duty-4, cod4, halo, halo-3, xbox-live

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Sam406 @ Feb 7th 2008 5:01PM

Just today I finnaly finished The Call Of Duty 3 campain, so I can bitch about how I hated it.

God help us if Treychard get their hands on CoD5.

Nick the Hero of Canton @ Feb 7th 2008 5:33PM

Treyarch already did :(

Huey2k2 @ Feb 7th 2008 5:33PM

How does that have anything to do with the article that was posted?

Either way, Halo 3 and COD4 are both fantastic online games, personally I prefer COD4 and I do believe that Halo 3 is overrated for what it is.

I really wish I hadn't moved to a new city a few months back so I actually had friends to play Rock Band with too :(

Fox318 @ Feb 7th 2008 7:29PM

I enjoyed COD3. Its nowhere close to COD4 though.

I wouldn't be too worried. Those guys know what they are doing.

E.J. @ Feb 7th 2008 8:00PM

@Huey2k2

I agree with you that Halo is overrated, but the multiplayer components of that and CoD4 are completely different.

Halo truly focuses on team-play when playing Team Slayer games. In CoD4's Team Deathmatch, one player can completely dominate a lobby without any assistance.

And to those saying one is better than the other, please spare us the comparison between apples and oranges.

Oh right, fanboys DO exist.

Dictatorship @ Feb 7th 2008 8:04PM

Got to agree with you there Fox. I got it two days ago when I went to get a refund for my broken GHIII guitar and it's fun fun fun. Although I kind of suck at it because I can't beat the mission "Blackout" on veteran...

But it's the sheer fun of playing this game. After all, I can't blame it, I haven't played a CoD game since I last rented CoD2 for GC on the '06.

Once I improve and beat the game on Veteran, I'll jump on the Online. If you want to add me and kick my ass, my GT is "Sieged Eagle". :P

upz @ Feb 8th 2008 11:32AM

EJ, but there's far more in CoD4's online than Team Deathmatch. Headquarters mode especially requires teamwork to be successful. The graphics in CoD4 definitely doesn't deserve the praise that it's getting, but the online is near flawless.

Hashbrown_Hunter @ Feb 7th 2008 5:32PM

This is actually kind of fun to watch. It's funny to see the once reigning champ of XBL is now being defeated by a Modern Warfare game.

CoD4 FTW

J @ Feb 7th 2008 5:34PM

My Grandmother must have put it over the top when she and her entire retirement community started their COD4 tourny.

aaron_k7 @ Feb 7th 2008 5:35PM

Is this really big enough news to warrant three postings on Joystiq?

Huey2k2 @ Feb 7th 2008 5:37PM

It's a video game news blog. So yes, it is.

eljeeffa @ Feb 7th 2008 5:36PM

enjoy both but find myself having a more intense experience with COD4 therefore playing it alot more

Chris @ Feb 7th 2008 5:37PM

I think if bungee get's their act together and actually makes some new maps for halo 3 it's popularity will rise up again. That having been said COD4 is a phenomenal game and introduces some pretty incredible ideas to the multiplayer game that make it totally awesome. I think I might enjoy the gameplay of halo 3 a bit more just cause it feels... idunno, less like a dice roll in some cases. like I feel like dying is a little too easy in COD4 and it ends up being less about skill and more about who started shooting first.

Huey2k2 @ Feb 7th 2008 5:43PM

I disagree with that sentiment Chris. I personally find that COD forces you to think more about where you're going and who might be there. It makes you check your back nonstop and be very careful with where you just rush into because you know that if someone sneaks up on you, you don't stand a chance.

And honestly, if you sneak up on someone and start shooting first you deserve to kill them first.

Kendall B @ Feb 7th 2008 5:46PM

I don't think this is so much indicative of Halo 3's popularity waning as much as there being two high-quality titles that resonate with gamers. Halo is just as popular as it ever was. It just so happens there's another game with comparable level of popularity now.

The Artist formally known as Jesus @ Feb 7th 2008 6:23PM

"Check those corners!"

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 7th 2008 5:42PM

Off topic...

Can anyone name all the people in this pic? =)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Joystiq-E3-2006.jpg

waynski1457 @ Feb 7th 2008 5:53PM

follow the flikr link on that page. it has all the names to faces.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/girlgeek/145698688/

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 7th 2008 5:56PM

Joystiq rules!

Raikage (Wii FC 5508 0487 4434 0992) @ Feb 7th 2008 8:50PM

I know that Ludwig is the short blonde one on the left and Chris is the giant at the right, who happens to look like a twin of my high school math teacher.

Mr.ESC @ Feb 8th 2008 1:27AM

One memeber of the joystiq crew is/was a girl?!,get out of here,Th3r3 R N0 G1rLz 1n t3h 1nt34n3ts.

Forced meme is forced,procede to upvote me.

(I would like to say something else but the ban hammer might strike me)

Batzarro @ Feb 7th 2008 5:42PM

When the bottom of the Seesaw is "second most played XBL game", what does that make Space Giraffe?

Bloo @ Feb 7th 2008 5:47PM

It makes Space Giraffe a misunderstood yet excellent game

JS Beckerist @ Feb 7th 2008 6:31PM

Generally, at least for me, understanding a game should be a requirement before it's "excellent!"

AnonyMack @ Feb 7th 2008 5:45PM

now.. to use this as ammunition for the inevitable flame wars me and my friends have until next weeks stats...

Cr1ckt @ Feb 7th 2008 6:08PM

What I don't understand is that both games tell you explicitly how many people are online at any given time. Halo is consistently around 300,000, and COD4 has been hovering around 80,000 for weeks. In terms of the number of people playing multiplayer on Live, I've never seen COD even come close to Halo. This tells me that the difference lies in the number of people playing the COD campaign while incidentally signed in to Live. Either that, or I'm completely missing an important aspect in the method used to determine these rankings.

Whatever the case, I'm happy with both games. They each provide a unique experience, and both are extremely well done. Both deserve the attention, as far as I'm concerned.

Petrie @ Feb 7th 2008 6:55PM

I think what you're missing is that it only matters how many unique users play the game in any given week. Halo players may just play more consistently.

Let's say 80,000 play CoD4 each night. But every night, it is a different 80,000. Halo has 300,000, but it is the same people every night. CoD4 would win, despite being played less overall.

That's how the system works.

colinbell @ Feb 7th 2008 6:22PM

People keep talking about whether Killzone 2 will be a Halo-killer - but it seems much closer to CoD4 and perhaps all it needs is to be just as good as what is the far better game of the two, CoD4.
And it seems like Resistance 2 is coming out of nowhere to be the game Halo 3 should have been.
Its simple for Sony - make sure Killzone is a good CoD4 clone, Insomniac always deliever, and you will have the equivalent of CoD4 and Halo3 (better version) both exclusive on the same console - a killer combo.

Leobebes @ Feb 7th 2008 6:57PM

Then Microsoft will release a Halo killer of their own. Yay everyone wins. Nice to see Sony making the PS3 an FPS powerhouse. Nice to see Sony making the PS3 an FPS powerhouse. Did I mention its nice to see the PS3 make the PS3 an fps powerhouse. Hear that Japan they are turning your machine into AN FPS POWERHOUSE!

Mortensen77 @ Feb 7th 2008 7:09PM

That's a matter of your Sony Fanboyish opinion. Those games haven't even been released yet and there are tons of factors the make a great game outside of visuals.. especially when you play online. I don't think you'll find anywhere near the amount of people playing those games online as Halo 3 or call of duty 4. How would you even play online with Sony's sorry excuse for a controller!! Lame!!! So, keep dreaming!!

I own both games and while COD4 is fun, Halo 3 beats itn hands down on the fun factor in my opinion!! I find Halo to be a better run and gun game.. which is what I prefer over the tactical... "camp and shoot" game. Plus the inclusion of vehicles, refined matchmaking, theater, and forge... it's a much more satisfying game. COD4 gets boring after awhile.. and the campaign is way too linear!!

TWIMTBP @ Feb 7th 2008 8:18PM

Real men don't camp!! Real men don't play sniper!! Death to snipers!! X(

SharpShooter @ Feb 8th 2008 12:43AM

"Those games haven't even been released yet and there are tons of factors the make a great game outside of visuals.. especially when you play online."

Resistance 2 I have no doubt will be a great game, as Insomniac has never disappointed ps3 once yet. Killzone 2 SEEMS good, but after Killzone 1, I'm not too sure. Now on topic, great to see CoD 4 in first place. Probably one of the funnest shooters I've ever played. I really don't see what's so special about Halo. Although I don't own an xbox, I've played every Halo, including the Halo 3 beta at my friends house and they get boring after about 30 minutes of playing.

NvM @ Feb 7th 2008 6:59PM

Though I do like both.
I don't mind if Halo does get top spot because it you think about it, it's a party game. The most fun I've had is Infection on a Forged map with a bunch of friends, not ranked matchmaking.
Call of Duty 4 is a more solid shooter and I may be only defending Halo because I'm kinda sick of CoD4 because I put over 55 hours in about 3 weeks.

But that's like comparing Smash Bros to Tekken.
Both can be serious, but one is best at a party game.

Geist @ Feb 8th 2008 12:34PM

At best a party game? You'd best be talking about Tekken.

A-Troll-Named-Slickback (Yes the A Troll Named part, and yes every time!) @ Feb 7th 2008 7:03PM

I swear the CoD4:MW soldier looks like Michael Vick

Obie @ Feb 7th 2008 7:03PM

Well deserved..congrats again IW.
But will there be a post about this everytime H3 gets toppled? We need to see some numbers to really see how well both games are doing.
Also once the new maps come out for COD4....whoa.

xFenixKnightx @ Feb 7th 2008 7:06PM

Sooo, what about PSN?? Why is there never a fuss about whats the top game played on PSN? I bet its also COD4.

Anyway when Gears 2 comes out Ill bet it will remain #1 for a long time just like part 1 did. I hear Army of Two will be 2 on 2 multiplayer online seems it should be interesting hopefully. To me, less people makes it more interesting like in Gears 4vs4. You can atleast plan a strategy. Dark Sector is also supposed to have 10 player multi, hope its good. Cant 4get about RainbowSixVegas2. March should be suweeeeet indeed!

jorojoserojas @ Feb 7th 2008 8:19PM

You know what sucks? I bought my 360 like a year after Gears came out, and I've only been online twice...BOTH times, I got stuck with a crew that pretty much hated me for being my first time out there. And they were my teammates! So I pretty much stopped caring for playing it online.

But oh well, I guess I'll have to jump online from day one when Gears II releases.

JAmerican @ Feb 7th 2008 8:26PM

Master Chief is a girl lol.

Austin @ Feb 7th 2008 8:40PM

I don't think the new maps from COD will make a diffrence because all the maps have the same geometry

carg0 @ Feb 7th 2008 11:45PM

the bottom line is that we don't have any independent sources out there to corroborate these numbers posted by Nelson. he himself might not even know.

for all we know these numbers could be fabricated to test what kind of effects our mislead perception might have on these games. im just saying consider the source and take these 'numbers' with a grain of salt.

Evan @ Feb 8th 2008 9:53AM

It really brings into question Microsoft's claims of 8+ million copies of Halo sold.
- If Halo3 sold that many, how is CoD4 overtaking it in online activity?
- Add antidotal evidence: my local BestBuy was still selling launch copies of Halo3 (with do-not-sell-before stickers) after Christmas.
- And, if you consider the RRoD, there may not even be 8 million working 360s on which to play Halo3!
Alright, that last one was sarcasm, but still, perhaps Microsoft shipped over 8 million copies of Halo3 to stores, but I'm still having trouble believing they've sold that many to consumers.