GTA IV could become Xbox Live's top game

by Alexander Sliwinski { May 1st 2008 at 1:30PM }

It probably comes as no shock that Aaron Greenberg, director of product management for Xbox Live, believes Grand Theft Auto IV could very well take the top spot on Live from the see-saw battle waged between Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3. Greenberg tells Reuters that the multiplayer is so well implemented in GTA IV that he can't imagine anyone who owns a copy of the game not trying it on Xbox Live.

Greenberg goes on to say that GTA IV appeals to such a large audience and it'll probably be the best-selling game launched all year. GTA's multiplayer is certainly a different experience from COD 4 and Halo's first-person perspective, and could easily take the top spot on Live with curious players testing it, but whether the game's multiplayer is actually deep enough to hold on to players remains to be seen.

[Via GameDaily]

Tags: grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-iv, grandtheftautoiv, greenberg, gta-iv, gtaiv, xbox-live, xboxlive

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Silvershotzero @ May 1st 2008 1:34PM

http://youtube.com/watch?v=MyMz7Lka5EA&feature=related

GTA IV is already Live's Top Game? Everybody dance!!!

HighFiveJesus @ May 1st 2008 1:51PM

girl you know its girl you know its girl you know its

ThePremierAssassin @ May 1st 2008 1:34PM

Whats wierd is that I love the single player a lot more than I love the multiplayer...

I think I just need to get used to the controls and such...

I'd be surprised if it rose to the top though to be honest.

Kodros @ May 1st 2008 2:04PM

Whats weird about that? Isn't that how it is suppose to be? IMO, the single player game should always give a better experience then the multi player part of the game. Co-Op games and multi player only games are a different story of course.

peteH @ May 1st 2008 2:25PM

I thought I'd really enjoy the MP, but it seems too impersonal and the whole third-person thing makes it a little too Second Life "gone mad" for me to enjoy. COD4, methinks, will reign supreme for a while...

arrrgh @ May 1st 2008 1:34PM

maybe someone can answer this.

Is there a player list or anything in freemode?

I didn't notice any voice comm icon with a player's name, so I had no clue who was talking, and who to mute...

maybe I'm just used to the nice COD4 interface...but this seems like a pretty huge oversight. Only played freemode though...is it different for the other modes?

arrrgh @ May 1st 2008 1:36PM

anyone? :(

my kingdom for an in game player list!

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 1:38PM

I know there is a way to see who is in what game by holding I think up or Down on the D-pad. It shows everyones color (free mode) and such. Your phone usually has all the ways to single out someone to contact as well.

arrrgh @ May 1st 2008 1:40PM

awesome, thanks dude

does it thow a little voice icon by their name when they talk or something else that i am missing?

Is there a way, amidst the chaos to find out who is talking to you/yelling at you :P

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 1:43PM

I've used the Map through the start menu. When people talk the little dot next to there name on the map has a speaker in it.

The little dot next to there names has a speaker when they talk and are running around in any game mode as well.

Eric @ May 1st 2008 1:35PM

Yeah, This is probably the best and most fun multi player game i have ever played. There is just so much to do. It boggles my mind at times.

Todd H. @ May 1st 2008 1:35PM

What genius came up with this idea?

Eric @ May 1st 2008 1:37PM

Does anyone know can you do free mode with just you and one other buddy. I was trying to set it up for me and a friend but when we started the game there was like 14 other players with us. anyone know?

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 1:39PM

It's not the simplest thing but it can be done pretty easy. Do not start a party mode. Just create a non-ranked game and set all slots to private. Then just invite your friends through your phone once your ingame or through the XBL blades.

dubx @ May 1st 2008 1:40PM

You need to make a custom match, and then make all the slots "private."

Eric @ May 1st 2008 1:43PM

Sweet guys! thanks!

chris @ May 1st 2008 1:39PM

Hey, in the single player, you know how on your map you have a letter to represent a mission location, like LJ or E or ?; stuff like that.

Well, do the different colors mean anything. Like right now E is yellow and X and ? are gray, does that mean X and ? are side missions, or is it unrelated?

arrrgh @ May 1st 2008 1:41PM

good point i was wondering this as well

the manual for this game...isnt

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 1:42PM

From what I have seen they represent nothing other then helping identify them on the map better. I haven't noticed a pattern but I have a feeling your right. I ran into someone (literally just walking down a street and there they were) from a previous mission. (Bad Man) just chilling on a bench, His Icon was blue. It stood out. Might indicate a side mission.

andyg8180 @ May 1st 2008 1:44PM

Check out 360voice.com

http://www.360voice.com/games.asp

GTA was their top game... and almost beat out halo 3 for biggest gain in a single day!!

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 1:45PM

Joystiq needs a forums...

Sinnix @ May 1st 2008 1:47PM

The Xbox Live stats include people playing both single and multiplayer so yes, GTA4 will knock COD4 right off the top of that list. How long it stays that way in anyone's guess though.

I only played the multiplayer for a hour or so on Tuesday but I had a blast doing it. I'm going to get back into it this weekend for sure.

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 1:49PM

Same here but playing through single player gives you the benefit of showing you new things. I've decided to finishes it for the sake of Cop's and Crooks. If I am driving I need to know where to go. No one places way points...

Cyro @ May 1st 2008 1:49PM

All I can say is that this game glued me to the screen. It's amazing in every sense.

After 4 hours of single player I jumped into multiplayer sceptically believing that it couldn't be any good. Boy was I wrong! I was just blown out of the water with this game. It truly is a master piece!

It is also a good change from First person shooters. I was getting tired of only playing COD4 and Halo 3 online.

I am just happy GTA IV is everything I hoped for :)

xFenixKnightx @ May 1st 2008 1:55PM

Ditto man, and the game just keeps getting better and better as you go deeper into the story. The achievements are a blast too. R* R*ulez this motha!

NATO_Duke @ May 1st 2008 2:05PM

I have yet to get into the MP. :(

The other day I was all, "Fenix lets battle on live man!" and he was all like, "No, I am too scared! I need to go make a pop-tart..." So I was all like, "yeah whatever man!" So, I have yet to try it. [This story is absolutely not true, but feel free to call Fenix "Pop-Tart" from now on.]

Oh, I'm only about an hour into the story too.

ScottG13 @ May 1st 2008 2:01PM

Every night, I mean to start playing some GTA4 MP, but every night, I'm glued to the SP. Last night I was determined to finish the Most Wanted list and get an internet date and by god, I did.

Eric @ May 1st 2008 2:05PM

I know what you mean man. I know people who hate playing single player games and are only playing MP. I don't know how they do it. The SP story is just so compelling.

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 2:09PM

I feel the need to skip multiplayer and take Kate to the bar instead. That girl is hilarious when drunk... to bad were just friends...

ScottG13 @ May 1st 2008 2:13PM

I can't wait to meet her. ;)

Odog4ever @ May 1st 2008 2:38PM

How do you get an internet date by the way? Do you have to unlock something? I sent got a bunch of negative replies back and I didn't know why.

FOXHOUND @ May 1st 2008 2:41PM

make sure it says 'heterosexual' for your status

tiremfej @ May 1st 2008 2:08PM

I had a blast with my buddy last night just running around and goofing off. Cops and Robbers is great fun as well.

MarkHawk @ May 1st 2008 2:13PM

Indeed though sometimes I wish Cops starts a little further away and that spawn points weren't so far way/ But little gripes that I'll get over.

TheHuntIsOn @ May 1st 2008 2:22PM

I hope so.

JAH75157 @ May 1st 2008 2:29PM

i was having a blast on MP last night, except for the fact that everytime i stopped to pick my buddy up to go raise some hell, he'd pull out a rocket launcher and blow my car up.

Vcize @ May 1st 2008 2:31PM

Wait, I thought that "top Xbox Live games" list just included the games that were most played while on Live, meaning if you're playing the single player mode while connected to Live it counts towards that list.

Otherwise, I don't think there's any way Guitar Hero 3 would continuously be #3 on that list ahead of games like RSV2 and Gears of War, as not many people play GH3 online often. There are times of the night where I'll jump on GH3 and it won't be able to find someone to pair me with for a while, while I don't think I've ever logged onto Gears or RSV2 with fewer than thousands of people playing online.

nmezib @ May 1st 2008 2:35PM

I'm sure the FREE MONTH of Xbox Live Gold included in every copy of GTAIV doesn't hurt

MASTUR CHEEF (Yes I pay for Xbox live you cheap ass scrub) @ May 1st 2008 2:34PM

Can I use cheat codes in multyplayer?

MASTUR CHEEF (Yes I pay for Xbox live you cheap ass scrub) @ May 1st 2008 2:37PM

sorry multiplayer

hey_big_dck psn:fuliano626 @ May 1st 2008 4:14PM

are there even any cheat codes?

CB @ May 1st 2008 4:24PM

cheat codes: http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360/code/933037.html

Alex @ May 1st 2008 2:35PM

Could become? IS more like. Yesterday I had 17 friends online and 16 of them were on GTA, one was on Guitar Hero III and I was on Condemned.

PS, I hate GTA IV.

Eric @ May 1st 2008 2:46PM

Why do you hate it? I am not giving you shit either I just am wondering. The MP is Crazy fun.

Alex @ May 1st 2008 2:52PM

I just got bored of the same thing after Vice City on the PS2. San Andreas was also a huge letdown.
The only GTA game I like is GTAIII, and one of the reasons that I liked that is because the guy doesn't shout silly comments after every crime.
Bad points are:
GTA III was too grey.
GTA VC was too pink.
GTA SA was too orange
GTA IV I don't know about because I don't want to play it. It just doesn't bother me.

Eric @ May 1st 2008 3:03PM

Good enough but might i suggest you give it a rent or try it at a friends house. It really does not feel anything like the other installments. Also there are no silly lines of dialog. The story is really really good. Try it you might like it and if not not big deal either.