CoD4 boots Halo 3 from its Xbox Live throne

by Dustin Burg { Jan 22nd 2008 at 12:15PM }

There's no need to pinch yourself (we already did), you are not dreaming and this is no joke. Halo 3 has, for the first time since its launch, been dethroned from its communist rule over the most played Xbox Live games. Dethroned by another FPS that goes by the name of Call of Duty 4. Gasp!

Major Nelson's weekly list of the most played games on Xbox Live shows that last week, CoD4 took the number one spot away from Halo 3, kicking Master Chief down to the number two slot. Though, Halo 3's older brother Halo 2 still reigns supreme on the original Xbox list if that's any consolation for the Halo camp. And before hell breaks loose in the comments, know that we have faith in both the Halo 3 and CoD4 communities to act civil, respectful and understanding of each other's feelings. We know your fanboy unity will protect you from the temptations of flaming. Ah, who are we kidding? Let the flame wars begin!

[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]

Tags: bungie, call-of-duty-4, cod4, halo-3, halo3, infinity-ward, xbox-live

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Diamondxp @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:22PM

WOW!!! I am in shock !

Platinum_Skeet @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:04PM

If GTAIV has online MP Halo 3 and COD4 will be eclipsed.

If it doesn't well Rainbow6 Vegas 2 will easily take it over. It has everything COD4 has to offer and is WAY more realistic...

Simon @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:36PM

@Platinum_Skeet: Realism doesn't nesecarily equal fun. Although I did love R6V online, it was great, I expect the sequel to be just as good.

Call of Duty 4 has a great 'feel' to things, I just love it. Halo 3 was my first time getting to grips with the series, and I found online to be a massive learning curve. On top of that, I just didn't find it a whole lot fun at all.

Cal @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:41PM

As much as Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 will be better, it won't be as mainstream as CoD4 or Haloverated, but one thing's for sure, I'm getting it =)

kostaki @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:24PM

I am not surprised...i am a halo fan but COD4 is a much better game with alot more to offer...sorry halo maybe next time

Bravo6 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:25PM

Same here!

InTheCatBoxAgain @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:43PM

Me too, I'd much rather play a game of CoD4 over Halo3.

Both great games, but I find CoD4 more appealing.

Raheem @ Jan 22nd 2008 2:29PM

Uh... next time?

Big Filth @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:26PM

haha. sweet!

let the crying begin.

OBM @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:28PM

My predictions were right then, and well overdue also. CoD4 is WAY better then Halo 3, in almost every way, I'm glad it's at the top. Dustin will agree I'm sure :-P
Let the fanboy crying begin w00t w00t!

mark.j.smith @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:28PM

Folks are shocked? Wow. I am not at all. What Halo was and what it is...hasn't evolved. For me, CoD4 is a much more intense MP experience.

Anticrawl @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:55PM

COD4 is more intense, I'll give you that. But honestly it is getting stale just like Halo 3. Perhaps not as quickly, since I lost interest in Halo 3 within the first week or two but it does get old. Only real reason I log onto COD4 still is because I have lots of friends who still like to play it, but it isn't a game I could spend a full day playing like say Shadowrun. I'm a social gamer though, I can still find fun in a game going stale like COD4 as long as I have friends to enjoy the soft stale crunch of the COD4 potato chip I'll keep playing it.

xenocidic @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:29PM

haha, pwned!

ronaldmonster @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:31PM

COD 4 reinvents the first person shooter and the C.O.D franchise as we know it.

Only thing Halo 3 did great was finish the story, didn't change a god damn thing about the gameplay, and let it's Multiplayer go to complete crap with all those damn bugs.

JakubK666 @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:26PM

No...it doesn't. All it has is great graphics, intense single player and one-cool-yet-useless feature which is Wall Shooting.I'm not saying it's a bad game as it probably is the best SP fps out there, but don't dare saying that it reinvented the fps genre.

Remeber; three last games that actually revolutionized the FPS genre instead of just claiming to do so are Goldeneye,Halo and Half-Life. Every other fps copies them and unfortunately I'm right :( Think about it...

PS: We'll see how many people will still play CoD4 when new MP games show up (Vegas 2?). Fanboys are a rather disloyal bunch, yet I'm certain that out of two; Halo 3 will still be played four years later,as it happened to Halo 2.

PS2: PC versions of TF2 and UT3 owns them both :)

stealth @ Jan 23rd 2008 11:14AM

Battlefield: Bad Company will reinvent the FPS as we know it.

Timmy @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:32PM

C'mon Dustin. You can admit that you're a Halo fanboy! CoD4 is a great game! You should play it sometime.

Soul @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:33PM

I honestly don't think this is a surprise esp. if you play COD4. Every day you see the stats of how many people are on growing.

Larry not allowed to say cheevo @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:34PM

Oh Jesus... here we go! Well it was only a matter of time in the life cycles of games. They will eventually be eclipsed by the next thing. Enjoy it while you can, because I'm sure something else will come along and surpass this game.

That being said, I did play COD almost every day last week. Just wish I could link you guys to some awesome screenshots, video clips, and stats... Oh, that's right, not included.

erivera3 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:41PM

Trudat Larry, Halo 3 is a much more "complete" game by far. Cod4 is a fun little romp, but doesn't have nearly as much customization and online support as Halo 3 does. Halo 3 is already getting a second map pack pretty soon, we have yet to hear of ANY map packs for COD4.

mojonix @ Feb 2nd 2008 1:39PM

Wow, if only any of those extra features added to the buggy gameplay, that might mean something. I've actually never used any of those features, nor have any interest in them. It's all about playing the game. Which eats up enough of my time. But I guess for those who actually have nothing better to do with their nongaming time than waste it on piddling around with screenshots and movies of games you've already played, it's great. But so is having a life.

samaral70 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:35PM

i def love CoD4 way more than Halo 3...both are fantastic games...only thing I can think of is either A) Halo 3 jumps back to #1 when the new maps come out in the Spring or B) This is just the newbs from the Xmas crowd...who knows either way, congrats to Infinity Ward!

Ejab @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:36PM

Halo will take back its top spot next week, COD4 sucks.

Amber @ Jan 22nd 2008 6:29PM

keep dreaming

Matt @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:38PM

I have lots of friends that have completely converted from Halo 3 to COD4. I haven't touched Halo 3 once since Nov 6 and probably never will again.

Ben @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:39PM

I picked up COD4 last Friday and have only played a bit of the single player campaign (I'm starting the third mission). I'm looking forward to playing the multiplayer.

Evan @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:39PM

I am a huge fan of both games and this doesn't surprise me much. I think they are leaps and bounds above other titles in terms of multiplayer fun.

I know I go in streaks as far as which one I am playing. It is hard for me to say which one is better because they are so different. Despite the fact that they are both FPS games they play quite different.

The bottom line is I knew I was getting a great game with Halo 3 when I bought it. With COD4 I was pleasantly surprised that the game is so good. Can't go wrong with either.

Rick @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:40PM

TEE HEE! :)

dunnypop @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:41PM

haven't played halo in a while.
I think they need to release some free DLC soon to woe back people.

Matt @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:43PM

I don't really think it's about the maps. They could release 5 new maps for free along with new armor and I could care less about Halo 3. It's about the game and gameplay for me and COD4 has won me over.

Chase @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:44PM

This is simple science, folks.

Call of Duty 4 > Halo 3

^See?

Edzo04 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:44PM

i dont know why anyone would even be slightly shocked. CoD4 is waaaayyyyyy better than halo 3. this shouldnt even be news

M. Dizzy @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:47PM

My big gripe about COD 4 is the lack of cover mechanics despite it being a "realistic" military shooter. I can accept it from Halo 3 because H3 doesn't attempt to be realistic.

When I play COD 4 I just keep wishing there was a cover system a la Rainbow Six Vegas or Ghost Recon.

Sorry if it's an unfair bias...it's just how I feel. Also you can't do splitscreen multiplayer across consoles...a must for office play.

jtedesco33 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:56PM

I agree every game should allow 4 players on one box to play deathmatch or log onto Live. I however am about to pick up COD4 because the way that Bungie completely destroyed the melee mechanic in Halo 3 pisses me off every time I play.

It should be about timing again not who has less health, the bitching that the Halo community has put out and still Bungie says it will stay the same, well now you are number 2.

Bunige says we will fix the animation so it looks more timing based? Why would we want that? We want it to work correctly not look like it's working correctly.

Sorry for my rant COD 4 here I come, your melee is done correctly.

erivera3 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:58PM

Haha, ummm, the COD4 melee (the knife) is so broken. I stab people in the face and they dont die, but a guy can run by me and swipe at nothing but air and I die. Doesn't sound like that's perfected either.

TORO @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:02PM

That's your gripe?

Cover is pleasantly replaced by crouching, it's almost the exact same thing.

I'm happy cover is not implemented in this game cause then people would use the scrolling 3rd person view to scope and camp people out. That = cheap.

It's also allows for faster paced games and intense firefights. Cover would be gay in this game, but it's not completely gone cause I crouch behind objects all the time, except it is MORE realistic cause I can't have a "cheaters" view above the object.

mattclarkie @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:45PM

Well if the Halo3 mechanic is based on Health.

How come I can have a full shield, and I can put half a clip in a player and then melee them, I have full shield at this point, and I end up dead. WTF

I have always said the Melee was bust, even in the beta. I have lost many games because of the broken Melee, but what can you do the rest of the game is fun.

Swords are the same, the other player can lunge twice in the time it takes me to do one, don't know why but I press the button and I have to wait ages for the lunge to happen. In a sword fight that means instant death.

stinger503 @ Jan 22nd 2008 3:49PM

Matt in swords 9 times out of ten people use a lunge followed by a beat down. That's how people kill you quickly in swords

stinger503 @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:53PM

I'll be frank, there are two likely reasons for COD4 being #1 right now,
1. Christmas users who already bought and played Halo 3 to death
2. COD4 has more longevity for right now, thanks to their goal/unlocking system and Halo 3(once you beat the achvmnts) only has the ranks.

Matt @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:01PM

So you're saying Halo 3 will take back the top spot? I actually doubt that. COD4 is a much better game. Out of all the responses on this topic, I see way more fans of COD4 than Halo 3. Let's just wait and see what happens next month.

stinger503 @ Jan 22nd 2008 3:29PM

actually I said the COD4 has more longevity. Meaning until most people finish the challenges it'll likely have alot of people. People may or may not go to Halo 3, maybe Halo 3 will get new maps, or COD4 will get new maps. Maybe everyone will go to Turning Point or some other game

I think Halo 3 will come out on top thouhg. As soon as you beat the challenges there really isn't much as far as rankings go in COD4 IMO. The only thing that bothers me about COD4 would be that there is no split screen online, so your left playing with only 4 people, which is pretty dull.

Chilly @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:56PM

I downloaded the new maps for Halo 3 the day they came out...and still havent played them! CoD4 is a way better game. With that being said I wish charlieoscardelta.com was half as good as Bungie.com

Robzy @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:58PM

CoD sucks online and offline. I completed it in the first evening and traded it in. Online has no cheevos and is NOTHING compared to halo 2 never mind halo 3! The "perks" on it suck! How can ppl say this "reinvented" the FPS games? It sucks! Halo 3 FTW Just wait till the new maps are released and the current map pack is free...CoD4 will be in the dust!

Project Ekim @ Jan 22nd 2008 12:58PM

Im calling it now COD will be number 1 for about 2 weeks and then watch what happens. I for one get bored of Cod and tend to only play it alone but when my friends are on there is nothing like a 16 player halo custom with awesome forge edits and gametypes. Plus you have the save films and screen caps to remember it by and the awesome stat tracking of every single game... To me cod is a great, when your bored and alone type game, but if you have friends on i always choose halo over cod.

Lets see what happens though both games are great and its anyones game.

Jeff Tronti @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:01PM

Too bad that this means more Halo 3 brats are on COD4

Milly @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:03PM

My biggest problem with COD4 is that winning as a team has very little benefit. Therefore team matches lack the intensity and sometimes desperation that I experience in H3 (both social and ranked matches). Part of the intensity can also be attributed to the team balancing of H3 (in both social and ranked) which is obviously far superior. These things contribute to an expierence that makes H3 exciting each match.

As far as long term playability, rank system in H3 is so much better done than in COD4. As someone who didn't play H2, I find myself continually challenged to move up in skill level (stuck at 34, for now). Combined with EXP, this makes H3 a more long term multiplayer experience for me.

TORO @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:08PM

No game is "better" than the other, it's your personal opinion of what you like.

I was a big Halo fan, but I like COD4 gameplay/visuals better. Maybe cause I was a teenager when Halo came out lol, but Halo 3 seems like it appeals to a younger audience (although it's not always the case).

Project Ekim @ Jan 22nd 2008 1:12PM

Im going to do somthing intresting because this is based on UUs im going to go into COD and Halo at two times each day once at 12 in the moring and again at 7 or 8 at night (prime gaming time) and i will post a comparsion graph of the numbers i obtained, im in no way a halo fan boy and im just intrested to see what happens if its not UU... Ill keep you guys posted with the data.