List of the most played Live games of 2008
by Dustin Burg 
{ Jan 4th 2009 at 5:30PM }
Just in case you weren't keeping (weekly) track of the most played games of 2008, our pal Major Nelson thought he'd do the community a service by listing the Top 20 Live Games of 2008, based on Live connectivity over the course of the past 52 weeks. We copied 2008's top five 360 games below, because we can, but you can view a listing of 2008's twenty most played games after the jump. For those who are interested in XBLA and original Xbox 2008 stats, Major posted those as well. Congrats to Halo 3, Castle Crashers and Halo 2 for being so darn popular.
- 1. Halo 3
- 2. Call of Duty 4
- 3. GTAIV
- 4. Gears of War 2
- 5. Gears of War
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
tim @ Jan 4th 2009 5:39PM
GTA4, really? i have yet to play online cuz it always takes 10 minutes to get into a game...i always figured nobody was on.
Xiphias @ Jan 4th 2009 5:42PM
I think this list counts you as playing the game when playing single player and signed in to Xbox Live, so that is why GTA IV is so high up
yo Naturale @ Jan 4th 2009 6:28PM
That makes sense (in regards to registering players signed into XBL even if they're not playing a match-made multiplayer game type).
So GoW2 still did pretty well even though it didn't come out until the end of the year.
+++volume+++ @ Jan 4th 2009 5:41PM
I wonder if Halo can stick around in the top 3 for the better part of this year.
I'm gonna say yes, but behind WaW and Gears 2.
yo Naturale @ Jan 4th 2009 6:38PM
Well, the Mythic map pack that's coming out in conjunction with Halo Wars will mostly likely keep it near the top. Then towards the end of the year Halo 3:ODST will come out, which will have more Halo 3 multiplayer maps.
I wouldn't discount Halo 3's presence from the top 3 in 2009 just yet.
djbuhhda @ Jan 4th 2009 6:38PM
yeah lets only hope. but there are those new maps coming out and also halo reconZ. so im going to say all the little kids will probly keep it in the top probly first or second most of the year.
Highimpact1 @ Jan 4th 2009 7:40PM
Well feel free to be excluded from one of my favorite gaming experiences I've ever had, but for me I'm going to go have more fun playing the game than hating on it. =)
Oh ya, and you miserably misspelled Buddha in your name. Just thought I'd point that out.
birdshake @ Jan 5th 2009 3:08AM
The only thing that's going to knock Halo 3 off is if they ever release Halo 4.
And no, I'm not joking.
dicknjane @ Jan 4th 2009 7:52PM
Halo 3 ftw. it deserves every piece of glory and more. it's just the best XBL game yet, and even in 2008, no one, IMO, could beat it in terms of "funness." great job Bungie and i can't wait for ODST!
Cutty @ Jan 4th 2009 8:37PM
in terms of "funness", Left 4 Dead is by far the funnest multiplayer game i've played to this day....(and i'm a self proclaimed gears fanboy, and i've barely been able to put gears 2 in since i got L4D) just need more people to buy it, and some new maps/campaigns, and i wouldn't be surpised if L4D cracks the top 5....
birdshake @ Jan 5th 2009 3:10AM
@cutty
I highly doubt a Valve game is going to crack the top 5 on Xbox Live. A good majority of valve fans would have purchased the game for PC instead of 360 because of the major amounts of customization that comes with the modding community.
Penguin Warlord @ Jan 5th 2009 4:16PM
I have to agree that too many people are hating on it. Name one other game that 4 friends can sit down and play together on live that's better. Frankly halo will reign as my most played game as bungie actually let's play with 4 people. I don't understand how for most games they limit player counts to 2 per xbox. Gears is fun but as soon as I have 2 friends over it gets taken out and in goes rock band or halo 3. Same thing with left 4 dead (that one makes the least sense to me).
Tann @ Jan 4th 2009 8:57PM
I'm glad to see halo at the top
Highimpact1 @ Jan 4th 2009 9:53PM
Exactly! We could all use a little more green in our life!
=)
Doll @ Jan 4th 2009 11:36PM
I can understand GTAIV being in the top 5 but how did GoW2 manage it? That game only lasted a couple of weeks. GoW1 should definitely be above it.
porplemontage @ Jan 5th 2009 5:01AM
Remember it's unique users. So even if Gears 2 was only #1 for a week, if a ton of people played it that one week, each user added himself to the list of UU's for that game.
JCP @ Jan 5th 2009 1:56AM
will there ever be an online multiplayer game better than halo ? what would it need to have to gain the edge on halo ?
One of halo's most important elements is that it is easy to pick up and play and the player can improve with practice over time, if your good at halo, think about the very first time you played it and how you play it now, think about how you played halo 1 then and how you play halo 3 now.
Another 2 important factors: playing with your friends and competing against anyone in the world, and these two things dont have to go together, some people get a kick out of killing just their friends and some people only want to enjoy the thrill of competition and others enjoy the execution of great team work to win a match with their friends against strangers.
multiplayer Quality is another important factor, but some companies think they can get away with skimping on it, which is why they end up in 4th place lol
Halo truly is a great game, I will be amazed when/if another game ends the halo dynasty.
birdshake @ Jan 5th 2009 3:11AM
Truth.
Tann @ Jan 5th 2009 6:44AM
agreed.
Digitalspirit @ Jan 5th 2009 2:00PM
Word
Numion @ Jan 5th 2009 5:02AM
Too bad CoD 4 didn't get the support it deserved (as the most sold FPS ever), it might've done even better. Instead, Activision wanted to cash in with another CoD installment.
Not that WaW was bad, but CoD 4 has a lot of staying power, so it would've been nice to see more support for it.
Zelli @ Jan 5th 2009 6:20PM
Yep, if only bungie handled the multiplayer component of CoD4. It would get the aftermarket support it deserves. That would be a great combination.
Familyguyrokz @ Jan 5th 2009 10:09PM
@Zelli
If Bungie had made the multiplayer, the Insurgents would never aim down the sights, could jump six feet in the air and have a grenade shoved down their throat and only loose 25% of their health.
Try playing a game which requires a bit more strategy than JUMPAN and SHOOTAN.
Nieker @ Jan 5th 2009 6:16AM
Where the hell is psychonauts in the top20 originals list?
I hope it's because everyone already bought the retail version.
Etheallmighty16 @ Jan 5th 2009 8:36PM
@ Numion...
I get what your saying, but didn't they release like 2 or 3 map packs for COD4 while it was hot?
Also, remember WAW wasn't made by Activision, it was Treyarch....besides WAW kicks ass I'm a zombie/left4dead nut but I can't stop playing WAW online
x Shadow @ Jan 6th 2009 12:16AM
Activision owns Treyarch and Infinity Ward...
Activision also Owns the Call of Duty name...they call all the shots...
Activision loves to milk many of their Franchises..and sell them every year.