Well... DUH!

At $50 a pop per Live account, that's some cash money.

16 player online deathmatch over the entirety of Liberty City...need I say more?

I think it's already started; I was having problems logging in to live earlier this afternoon.

The top Live spot is calculated by adding players who are playing single-player or multi-player while logged in with their gamertag to Live.

@superHOOKIE:

I paid ~$30 for mine. :P

(Buy.com and Google Checkout $10 off)

I have only messed around on it with a couple of friends in free roam mode, but from what I did play it was incredibly fun.

Tried hooking up on Live with a party my friend was hosting, but it kept telling me that the session I was joining was expired. Clearly it wasn't cause like 5 of my xbox live friends were in the same game playing. I think it has something to do with the crappy network I'm on right now though.

The multiplayer in this game is so well implemented that I can't imagine anyone owning a copy without trying to play it on Xbox Live

Great, so XBL supports the PS3 now?

People have been playing GTA online for years on the PC. Why is this so special all of a sudden?

I don't think I'll jump online in Liberty City for a while still. Single-player is chocked full of stuff to do (I've never felt busier in a non-RTS game) and CoD4 still rocks for me.

I thought about it so I could play with my brother, but Live is so filled with 12 year old racist homophobic dicks it's hardly worth it, and one can only imagine that GTA4 will attract every corpse-humper and glitcher possible. It's a shame - cause the multiplayer looks awesome. However, I learned my lesson with Gears and canceled, and I don't foresee ever going back.

I don't like how he says "without TRYING to play it on xbox live" as if it might not work.

c'mon dude, it's XBL not PSN.

@badasscat:
I guess PS3 owners who play on XBL.

@Atheist Jew:
This one has online multiplayer built in without having to use mods. Oh yeah, and console players get to play onlline now.

I need Fios! I hate having the shared cable modem bandwith experience.

@badasscat: Ehh...I think he meant Xbox 360 copies.

My 360 died on just when I went to first play GTA IV. BTW, how long does it take to get these things fixed?

@Lixie:
Let's just say that by the time you get it back we'll all be tired of GTA IV.

@stupidfanboy: Uh...yay!

@LongDarkBlues: The PSN isn't too different, it's just hardly anybody has a headset.

@LongDarkBlues: I've heard that a lot but personally,I've met a lot of good players and very few jackasses on XBL. Maybe it's b/c I do most of my playing at 2AM but still. I don't find it THAT bad and there's always the mute function.

@Atheist Jew:
You see, this is the general rule of thumb of why PC gamers and console gamers never get along.

@rmeehan17: The problem is when you die, you go back to the place you started.

So if you and some friends are trying to get into the Statue to see the heart, and you die...

BACK TO THE BEGINNING!!

Did all 360 versions include the one month XBL Gold trial? I was surprised to see it in the case, 'cause usually there's a sticker promoting an offer like that. I'm sure of all those freebies, some of them turn into paying customers.

Also, anyone know if those with an existing Gold account can still use the free month and add it to our year?

I've begun speaking with an eastern eurpean accent

@El Patricko: I've actually experienced more problems playing CoD4 on XBL than on PSN so YMMV.

When something I paid monthly for (or in advance) goes down. When something that is free (or included in the cost of the system) goes down I am not so angry... But I have yet to see PSN not function while I have been playing on it /shrug.

@McGoohan: Mine didn't and yes.

@Tepoz: I'm primarily a PC gamer but I own every console and handheld except the PS3...

PC gamers and console gamers don't get along because PC games have things years ahead of console games and then PC gamers aren't excited about those things since they've had them for so long already? That can't be accurate, because that's not the case!

If I could only get a game going with 16 players.

My friend also kept dropping out everytime we tried to join a match on Live.

I love gta4 but i think the online mode is utterly boring.

@rotcepsurt: "The PSN isn't too different, it's just hardly anybody has a headset."

Not to poke the fire (and I don't intend for this post to provoke anyone), I purchased it for my 360 because the only thing I'm satisfied with is the price point in relation to the PSN (IMHO). I know, it's to be expected but as an owner of both...it was Live® that sold me. Being able to check on what your friends are doing at the push of a button is huge (while not exiting a game) Game invites and the msg system and friends list... everything just seems more refined on Live (yes, yes I know that PSN is still in it's early years and is starting to crawl) my point is in the here and now, PSN is still lagging and if your really honest with yourself and you have both consoles Live is still setting the bar...and reluctantly worth the 49.99 a year to me. (I would like to note as some other posters mentioned you could pick live up for cheaper, in fact...I can't think of when I haven't seen Live on NewEgg.com for more than 39.99) Again, not trolling in the least...I just think there is still a large difference between the two and hopefully PSN will continue to take note and implement many of the features that I almost feel like are needed now for online gamming. (All of the above is the opinion of Caleb, is to be taken with a grain of salt and when tossing pitchforks please aim from knees-below because I have a fear of sharp objects hitting anything I consider Vital)

Edit post:year...

@caleb: I agree with you completely and I wasn't trying to start a flame war. I just wanted to point out the fact that if console A comes with a headset and console B does not, you will obviously have A LOT more people with communication ability on console A.

@Tepoz:Hell, from what I have seen, console gamers don't get along with each other.

/jk

Yes, and already has. Bought a refurbished spare 360 off a friend (who couldn't wait to get his red-ringer fixed, ran off to buy another, and had this one available) and when I signed up, it came with a free month of Live. I've got at least a half-dozen friends who will be playing Live while I am not much of a gamer, so it's pretty much GTA IV or never.

@rotcepsurt: " I agree with you completely and I wasn't trying to start a flame war. I just wanted to point out the fact that if console A comes with a headset and console B does not, you will obviously have A LOT more people with communication ability on console A."

Maybe, you misread my post. I wasn't saying you were trying to start any type of a flame war, I was honestly trying to keep anyone from taking what I was saying the wrong way. (it happens...)

Your original post said:

"The PSN isn't too different, it's just hardly anybody has a headset. "

All I was saying was that I still thought that there is a large enough diffrence in PSN and Live to sway me in the direction of the 360. I also agreed that it was true that many didn't have headsets.

Hope I cleared that up.

Caleb

I haven't tried my copy online yet. Is it as good as it sounds in theory?

My only (potential) issue with GTA online I don't really think the movement in the game is very conducive to great shoot-out type moments. Nikko isn't exactly nimble with his movements and it seems like deaths would occur more by car than anything, or snipers in good position. Fights on foot seem like they would be underwhelming. But hey if I'm wrong, that's great. I plead ignorance because I just haven't tried it yet.

@Atheist Jew: It's less niche I imagine, that's not putting down PC gaming, but on a console GTA online will find a much larger audience. So it becomes a big deal. People have been playing FPS online forever on PC yet the whole thing of Halo and COD4 becoming such huge online phenomenon is still a big deal.

@rotcepsurt: After re-reading everyone's post (LongDarkBlues) I think I looked at your post in the wrong light. I hope I didn't cross a line and I didn't want to draw attention to something that really wasn't. In short, sorry.

@caleb: "but Live is so filled with 12 year old racist homophobic dicks it's hardly worth it"

I was actually referring to this post when I said Live and PSN weren't too different. I own both consoles and agree with everything you said about the differences between Live and the PSN.

@caleb: No reason to apologize, I was just as confused as you were. :p

@rotcepsurt: caleb and rotcepsurt sitting in a tree...

@Derigor: Oh. I've just seen all of these stories about issues on the PS3 and haven't talked to anyone else with 360 multiplayer issues yet.

Not sure what YMMV means but I'm sure it is ridiculously cute and clever.

@Atheist Jew: Because PC gamers don't count.

/PC gamer
//not as angry as I sound

It convinced one of my friends to buy a years worth of Live, and he was convinced he would only want the single player game. So yes, what he's saying has some merit.

@El Patricko: I think it stands for "Yams Me Make Vroom-vroom"

@LongDarkBlues: Oh, but killing annoying yappy twelve year olds online is so much more satisfying than killing normal calm people. Especially if you packing your friends on your side. It always feels good to put them in their place. They get quiet eventually. For me anyways. Its a good laugh sometimes.

Anyways the PS3 will get more and more of that as time goes on and the price comes down and the popularity goes up.

@rotcepsurt

And ya know? Sony fanboys will ALWAYS add the cost of getting a wi-fi adaptor the the 360 because the PS3 comes with wi-fi, therefore every 360 owner MUST buy it. You never hear an XBox fanboy adding the cost of a bluetooth headset to the PS3, or an HDMI cable for that matter.

Wow, the number of Live subscriptions is predicted to increase due to GTA4? This is truly a bold, earth-shattering prediction. I hope he didn't bet the farm on that one. /sarcasm

@robinandtami: It's sad because it's true. I just use an Ethernet cable.

Im not a big multiplayer person, but this game is changing that. I dont even play the single player anymore. The online is truly impressive, technically, and very fun.

if you're one of those who routinely doesn't, will GTA IV be the game that finally sends you forth into that strange and wild country?

No. I barely get time to finish the single-player aspect of a game these days. Of all the games I own, Warhawk is the only one I've spent more than an hour online. And that's only because that's the only way you can play it.

I bought my Xbox 360 a month ago...GTA IV was my first multiplayer with it despite having several games that have multiplayer over Live...and I'm absolutely hooked on it (GTA IV multi).

I've played 10 hours of GTA but only one hour of multiplayer. I've only played free for all and been very meh on it.

I am still working on the controls before I dive into the serious team stuff, where I assume the game will shine. Single player is great though. The physics of hitting people with the car are priceless.

And if it does get you hooked, will you come join some TF2 games? :)

Indeed, having been a PC gamer first and foremost with a smattering of SNES, N64, Xbox360 and the like... I don't understand these people who refuse to play online - and at the same time, think that Battlefield 2 represents a mark of online gaming that neither the 360 or PS3 will be able to achieve.

Get online people, and welcome to the year 2001.

Regarding the racist homophobes on Live. I particularly find it amusing when I have several on my team talking about how gay the other team is by their choice of guns or placement while at the same time that other team is kicking our collective butts. Happened the other day of CoD.

Idiots: "Man, like their whole f'ing fag team is using the f'ing P90, they are so ghey."
Me: "Um, you do realize they have double our score, right?"
Idiots: "Yeah, they suck"
Me: *mute, mute, mute.

"THIS I KNOW ASSHOLE!"

@