Was GTA IV Over-hyped?

[SlappingOysters]

Hi Guys,

 

I was surprised the other day to find so much anti-GTA IV feelings in this very forum. Found this article that tackles the issue head-on.

 

I kind of agree. At the very least, i agree that we all built the game up to more than it ever could be before release. It was never going to reach the hype. No game could. It just got too big for itself.

 

That said, I love the game! But it isn't my favourite game of this generation.

[jonstunt]

I disagreed with some of the points he made, and some points were just wrong - "you have 100 hidden packages to find". Overall though it's the most well rounded and well written reviews I've read so far.

 

It's worth pointing out he still rated the game 10/10. The article was not "is GTAIV a bad game" as " as much as "was GTAIV over-hyped", as the title said.

 

I think in 10 years to come GTAIV liberty city will be seen as more of a master piece then people are giving it credit for now.

 

I would like to see R* work really hard on the multiplayer aspect of the game (why turn of the Pool/bowling activities in multiplayer.....why!!!!), bring it up to par with with games like COD and this should help stop their customers putting the game back in the box.

Edited August 18, 2008 by jonstunt

[Zee]

I think its too early to say. After R* sells us the second half of the game via DLC (depending on how many delays there are we should have it by 2014). I think only then can we wonder if it lived up to the hype. As it stands, GTA4 is basically a tech demo with some missions thrown in

[SooperNoodles]

Hi Guys,

 

I was surprised the other day to find so much anti-GTA IV feelings in this very forum. Found this article that tackles the issue head-on.

 

I kind of agree. At the very least, i agree that we all built the game up to more than it ever could be before release. It was never going to reach the hype. No game could. It just got too big for itself.

 

That said, I love the game! But it isn't my favourite game of this generation.

I haven't bothered to read the article as I have my own opinion on the game, and that's all that matters to me to be honest. But saying that... I totally agree with what you said.

[Trazom]

Its worth to read it.

 

But its like expecting people to feel the same way for a new processor build for a new fast computer like the first ever computer.

 

You just dont get that.

 

Its normal. I think they did a great job. I think that there may be 20 or 50 people here posting negative. But I guarantee that there are 10000 for everyone of those that still love the game. So the odds are ok.

[johnnyk1]

Grand theft auto IV is the most hyped up overratted game i have ever come across,that said it`s not a bad game but not the best at the same time.

 

People are dissapointed becuase of the hype that was around it and/or the missing features R* them selfs said would be in it,IE climbing poles going on ambushes having crazy weapons etc,i know there small things that dont matter but saying there in the game when there not didn`t help.

 

[BioVirus]

It depends.

 

Too early to tell. RockStar has to sell me the second half of the game through DLC before I can judge. As far as I'm concerned, the game is incomplete right now.

[Machida]

Admitably I don't pay much interest to media hype and such, but I wasn't even aware GTA IV had been released untill two weeks after it's release date.

 

Only when one of my friends turned up with it did I become aware of the game.

 

I have to say GTA IV hasn't disapointed me in the least.

 

It's always been my understanding that the hype has come from players themseves.

 

Ofcourse this ultimately leads to them being disapointed.

 

Infact you only need to look at the GTA neXt section to see the same thing happening with GTA V!

[Werven]

Well everyone was so pumped about it, maybe a little, because I was all hyped up to get it the other day, and then I saw that theres a major shortage in weapons (NO F*CKING SPAS-12).

[CarnageRacing00]

I think that was a very well written article.

 

Despite my run ins with the "GTA haters" whom stretch my last nerve so thinly, I think in the end I'd like for everyone here to realize that all this bitching and complaining and fighting with each other is really stupid. Either you like the game or you don't - why do we have to clash about it? Can't we move on and try to come to terms with the fact that we all see things differently?

 

I mean... there are some people out there who said The Dark Knight was a terrible movie... come on! I find that ridiculous, but hey, not everyone sees things the way I see them. How can I fault someone for thinking differently?

 

Well, I can... but only if someone treats their opinion as fact and insults anyone who disagrees.

 

There is a point where you have to understand that if you go into a place where many fans of something are gathered and start bad-mouthing that particular thing, you're guaranteed to ruffle feathers and piss people off.

 

All most of us want is to live happily, am I wrong?

 

So, if I enjoy GTA IV and I want to discuss GTA IV with other people who enjoy it, and then someone inconsiderately comes in and starts trying to break down the thing that I enjoy, the thing that contributes even in the slightest bit to my happiness... what else can I do but go on the defensive? The moderators here apparently don't give much of a sh!t because the trouble makers don't seem to have been dealt with... the trouble makers themselves seem to be people whom cannot be reasoned with - can't agree to disagree... so what's the option?

 

Defend my little slice of happiness. I hope none of you "haters" take it personally, but instead understand that if you're ripping apart something that makes me happy, I'm gonna bite back.

[BioVirus]

Admitably I don't pay much interest to media hype and such, but I wasn't even aware GTA IV had been released untill two weeks after it's release date.

 

Only when one of my friends turned up with it did I become aware of the game.

 

I have to say GTA IV hasn't disapointed me in the least.

 

It's always been my understanding that the hype has come from players themseves.

 

Ofcourse this ultimately leads to them being disapointed.

 

Infact you only need to look at the GTA neXt section to see the same thing happening with GTA V!

RockStar had set a precedent with their history of games. Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, San Andreas, Vice City Stories, etc...

 

Customers thought they knew what to expect with RockStar's new product.

 

It's the easy way out to blame the customer when in reality, it's RockStar who changed everything. It's as if you come to a coffee shop everyday and they specialize in cappuccino's. One day, you order a cappuccino and when you take a sip, you notice the cappuccino is not as sweet and has a completely different flavor.

 

Only in this case, the cappuccino costs 60 bucks.

[CarnageRacing00]

RockStar had set a precedent with their history of games. Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, San Andreas, Vice City Stories, etc...

 

Customers thought they knew what to expect with RockStar's new product.

 

It's the easy way out to blame the customer when in reality, it's RockStar who changed everything. It's as if you come to a coffee shop everyday and they specialize in cappuccino's. One day, you order a cappuccino and when you take a sip, you notice the cappuccino is not as sweet and has a completely different flavor.

 

Only in this case, the cappuccino costs 60 bucks.

Not everyone sees it that way, though.

 

For example, I see it as Rockstar trying to re-boot the franchise in a new direction. What people are saying when they compare GTA IV to GTA III does have some truth to it... GTA IV is essentially just setting the stage for greater things to come. It most certainly feels that way. There is so much to love about GTA IV, it's worth the $60 I paid for it. Everything else that's missing... sure, I'd like some things to return, but I cannot fault Rockstar for being spoiled by their previous games.

 

If every other developer is putting out half-assed games like Battlefield: Bad Company* and charging $60 for them as well, then Rockstar charging $60 for a game that was painstakingly created by people that must have had a real vision is extremely justifiable. Am I wrong? What is present in GTA IV is far more than any other game out there is offering, except for maybe Metal Gear Solid 4, and that's only relevant if you're a fan of the MGS series because of how crazy and convoluted the plot is. Seriously, can you name a single other game on the market that offers as much as GTA IV does? Saint's Row 2 doesn't count, it has not been released and for all we know it could play horrible despite all of the touted features.

 

*Battlefield: Bad Company. Bad game? No. Average. Great concept, great story line, revolutionary audio effects (HDR Audio - amazing), and cool destruction physics. Half-assed because 90% of the buildings on a map are exactly the same aside from colors, and there isn't much to the game play apart from a constant battle. Sure, it's based around a war, but it's a fictional story - they could have done much more with the game play given the unique angle of the plot. It's a half-assed game that was expected to ride solely on the fancy audio and destruction physics - but i see through the BS. That's a modern EA game for you.

[BloodOcean]

Its normal. I think they did a great job. I think that there may be 20 or 50 people here posting negative. But I guarantee that there are 10000 for everyone of those that still love the game. So the odds are ok.

I can't say that i agree. The membership for this site is pretty much made up of people that enjoy rockstar's previous gtas, or people that have waited a long time for this particular gta to come out. It's not really an unbiased perspective. There's more people that love the game that frequent this site than the opposite. I'd have to think the division between gamers on this particular game is closer than a ratio of 20:10000

Not saying gta4 is a bad game though. it looks great and plays great, i just feel that they raised the bar with previous installments and they missed the mark to some extent with their newest prodigy.

[Star-Lord]

First of all the game is amazing in all it's glory their's absolutely nothing wrong with it

If their's features missing maybe it will be added in the DLC.

No one exactly knows what's up Rockstar sleeves their famous for always being original and always using the element of surprise! that's what makes this franchise so unique.

When Gamers first popped the GTAIV disk into their PS3/XBOX360 I bet they were drooling I know I was, sh*t i was happier than a queer with two a*ses.

Hopefully it will be this way too with the DLC and it will change your thoughts about the game.

As far as the hype goes what do you expect it's GTA not Halo3? It did lived the hype it crush every game in sales making it the King Of Games. And still we are getting a PC version with extra exclusive content so who knows what's in store for us.

 

 

[BloodOcean]

As far as the hype goes what do you expect it's GTA not Halo3? It did lived the hype it crush every game in sales making it the King Of Games. And still we are getting a PC version with extra exclusive content so who knows what's in store for us.

 

 

to the contrary,

xbox 360

Halo 3 (8.1 million)

Gears of War (4.7 million)

Grand Theft Auto IV (3.45 million)

PS3

MotorStorm (3.31 million)

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (3million)Resistance: Fall of Man (2.5 million)

Grand Theft Auto IV (1.97 million

 

 

don't crown it yet

[CryptReaperDorian]

As far as the hype goes what do you expect it's GTA not Halo3? It did lived the hype it crush every game in sales making it the King Of Games. And still we are getting a PC version with extra exclusive content so who knows what's in store for us.

 

 

to the contrary,

xbox 360

Halo 3 (8.1 million)

Gears of War (4.7 million)

Grand Theft Auto IV (3.45 million)

PS3

MotorStorm (3.31 million)

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (3million)Resistance: Fall of Man (2.5 million)

Grand Theft Auto IV (1.97 million

 

 

don't crown it yet

I think the GTA IV sales data is not up-to-date. In the first week I'm pretty sure R* sold over 6 million copies of GTA IV and mad a profit of over $500,000,000 USD making it the fastest selling game ever (for PS3 anyways). Halo 3 has been out for a while now so you should expect more copies of Halo 3 than GTA IV sold so far. Also, GTA IV is not console exclusive so it beats all of those games you listed by units sold except Halo 3 (when GTA IV is considered for both consoles).

 

Actually, on Wikipedia.org it says that as of May 31, 2008, 8.5 million games were sold. I'm aware that Wikipedia can be edited by people who have an account on the site, but if that's true it is probably ahead of Halo 3 now.

[BloodOcean]

okay, i'll do it this way instead:

1) Super Mario Bros. (NES) - 40 Million

2) Tetris (Game Boy) - 33 Million

3) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) 18 Million

4) Super Mario World (SNES) - 17 Million

5) Super Mario Land (Game Boy) - 14 Million

6) Super Mario 64 (N64) - 11 Million

7) The Sims (PC) - 10 Million

8) Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES) - 10 Million

9) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2) - 8.5 Million

10) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (PS1) - 8 Million

11) GoldenEye (N64) - 8 Million

12) Donkey Kong Country (SNES) - 8 Million

13) Super Mario Kart (SNES) - 8 Million

14) Pokemon Red/Blue (Game Boy) - 8 Million

15) Half-Life (PC) - 8 Million

16) Tomb Raider II (PS1) - 8 Million

17) Final Fantasy VII (PS1) - 7.8 Million

18) Myst (PC) - 7 Million

19) Gran Turismo 3 (PS2) - 7 Million

20) Dragon Warrior VII (PS1) - 6 Million

 

if you look at it this way, GTA4 isn't even in the top ten. I must also say that without physically counting the games myself by hand, I can only speculate that these numbers are correct. the list is also a couple years old

Edited August 19, 2008 by jarfullofarts

[BioVirus]

GTA San Andreas sold 22 million

 

you forgot that one on your list.

[CryptReaperDorian]

okay, i'll do it this way instead:

1) Super Mario Bros. (NES) - 40 Million

2) Tetris (Game Boy) - 33 Million

3) Super Mario Bros. 3 (NES) 18 Million

4) Super Mario World (SNES) - 17 Million

5) Super Mario Land (Game Boy) - 14 Million

6) Super Mario 64 (N64) - 11 Million

7) The Sims (PC) - 10 Million

8) Super Mario Bros. 2 (NES) - 10 Million

9) Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2) - 8.5 Million

10) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (PS1) - 8 Million

11) GoldenEye (N64) - 8 Million

12) Donkey Kong Country (SNES) - 8 Million

13) Super Mario Kart (SNES) - 8 Million

14) Pokemon Red/Blue (Game Boy) - 8 Million

15) Half-Life (PC) - 8 Million

16) Tomb Raider II (PS1) - 8 Million

17) Final Fantasy VII (PS1) - 7.8 Million

18) Myst (PC) - 7 Million

19) Gran Turismo 3 (PS2) - 7 Million

20) Dragon Warrior VII (PS1) - 6 Million

 

if you look at it this way, GTA4 isn't even in the top ten. I must also say that without physically counting the games myself by hand, I can only speculate that these numbers are correct

Super Mario World sold like 20 million (still have the game for SNES and I really enjoyed it when I was younger), but those games been out for atleast a decade (even probably two decades) already and the GB consoles are a lot cheaper consoles so everybody basically had one at the time. Mario is the top selling franchise with over 200 million units sold. GTA is the 6th best selling franchise (I'm sure it will soon hit 80 million units sold and will eventually surpass the Need for Speed franchise IMO). The classic Mario games will be very difficult to pass, but I'm sure the revenue of GTA IV is up on the top five of highest video game revenue (I think it is the highest according to the Guinness World record book). When it comes to current generation games (7th generation) GTA IV is the most sold game on the 7th generation consoles I'm pretty sure (including the PS3 and XBox 360 version together).

[Wanted Assailant]

Nope. You just expected too much out of a game. Rockstar isn't going to fufill your every, Christmas wishes.

 

 

You have to remember that this is Grand Theft Auto. The generic ganeplay and havoc have stuck since.

[johnnyk1]

First of all the game is amazing in all it's glory their's absolutely nothing wrong with it

If their's features missing maybe it will be added in the DLC.

No one exactly knows what's up Rockstar sleeves their famous for always being original and always using the element of surprise! that's what makes this franchise so unique.

When Gamers first popped the GTAIV disk into their PS3/XBOX360 I bet they were drooling I know I was, sh*t i was happier than a queer with two a*ses.

Hopefully it will be this way too with the DLC and it will change your thoughts about the game.

As far as the hype goes what do you expect it's GTA not Halo3? It did lived the hype it crush every game in sales making it the King Of Games. And still we are getting a PC version with extra exclusive content so who knows what's in store for us.

Thats the whole point,The game only sold because of the hype and the previous games.

 

so saying it`s the king of games becuase it sold the most is stupid,i bet half of them have either traded in or sold it by now anyway.

[Machida]

Admitably I don't pay much interest to media hype and such, but I wasn't even aware GTA IV had been released untill two weeks after it's release date.

 

Only when one of my friends turned up with it did I become aware of the game.

 

I have to say GTA IV hasn't disapointed me in the least.

 

It's always been my understanding that the hype has come from players themseves.

 

Ofcourse this ultimately leads to them being disapointed.

 

Infact you only need to look at the GTA neXt section to see the same thing happening with GTA V!

RockStar had set a precedent with their history of games. Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, San Andreas, Vice City Stories, etc...

 

Customers thought they knew what to expect with RockStar's new product.

 

It's the easy way out to blame the customer when in reality, it's RockStar who changed everything. It's as if you come to a coffee shop everyday and they specialize in cappuccino's. One day, you order a cappuccino and when you take a sip, you notice the cappuccino is not as sweet and has a completely different flavor.

 

Only in this case, the cappuccino costs 60 bucks.

I suggest you go and play both GTA and GTA 2 and discover what the GTA franchise is all about.

[SaintsRow2OwnsGTABore]

Thats the whole point,The game only sold because of the hype and the previous games.

 

so saying it`s the king of games becuase it sold the most is stupid,i bet half of them have either traded in or sold it by now anyway.

Great Point!...Let's see how well the DLC sells, I'd guess that less than half of Xbox360 owners will fork over $$$ for more of the same...zzzzzz...

[Berrern]

to the contrary,

xbox 360

Halo 3 (8.1 million)

Gears of War (4.7 million)

Grand Theft Auto IV (3.45 million)

PS3

MotorStorm (3.31 million)

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (3million)Resistance: Fall of Man (2.5 million)

Grand Theft Auto IV (1.97 million

Your figures are wrong (or just outdated).

 

The sales figures for GTA IV (last week) reads:

PS3 - 4,26 Million

Xbox 360 - 5,78 Million

 

So, in total just over 10 Million copies has been sold. With just over 34 Million PS3+X360 owners, it means that almost 1 out of 3 console owners has GTA IV.

 

In comparison (PC sales not included):

GTA San Andreas - 19,2 Million

GTA Vice City - 14,2 Million

GTA III - 11,6 Million

[johnnyk1]

Thats the whole point,The game only sold because of the hype and the previous games.

 

so saying it`s the king of games becuase it sold the most is stupid,i bet half of them have either traded in or sold it by now anyway.

Great Point!...Let's see how well the DLC sells, I'd guess that less than half of Xbox360 owners will fork over $$$ for more of the same...zzzzzz...

Yea i agree,DLC wont sell as good as people think,

 

first you have people who sold the game.

 

then you have the people who dont have a HDD to get the DLC.

 

and then you have the ps3 owners who carn`t even get it.

 

so overall no the DLC wont be ground breaking(in sales anyway) as for features...thats doubtful,people are getting hyped with the DLC aswell,we`ll all see dissapointment threads all over again.

 

dont say i didn`t warn you fanboys

[CarnageRacing00]

Thats the whole point,The game only sold because of the hype and the previous games.

 

so saying it`s the king of games becuase it sold the most is stupid,i bet half of them have either traded in or sold it by now anyway.

You're wrong on your first point. The game did not only sell because of hype and the previous games. Children like you bought it because you're the type of people that continually return to see "Date Movie" and "Scary Movie 5" and "Epic Movie" and "Disaster Movie" type BS and think it's comedy... but there are people out there who understand GTA IV from a technical point of view and realize how excellent of a game STANDING ON IT'S OWN it is.

 

I played 4 or 5 hours of the game at a friends house, and went out the next weekend to buy a PS3 and GTA IV. And that was after reading many reviews, watching YouTube videos, and reading the forums - all of which couldn't stop raving about how awesome the game was at the time - which was about 3 days after it was released. I bought the game because, even though it lacked a lot of what made San Andreas fun, GTA IV is fun to me in a DIFFERENT way and I saw it as the final reason I needed to finally get a PS3 (MGS4, GT3, Uncharted, RE5 and God of War 3 being 4 other reasons, since I know you'll ask.)

 

Your second point, you're half right. Saying anything is good because of it's sales is stupid. The stupid new Star Wars animated movie sold well - but it's getting terrible reviews and people who have seen it say it sucks.

 

Your second half of your second point is just more idiot fanboy logic. Sell GTA IV because it's not San Andreas for 360? That's so immature.

[Dan001]

So much hostility in that there post. ^^^^

[CarnageRacing00]

So much hostility in that there post. ^^^^

Excuse me for getting tired of having to defend something i enjoy from people who are unrelenting and unreasonable in their bias against it.

[johnnyk1]

Thats the whole point,The game only sold because of the hype and the previous games.

 

so saying it`s the king of games becuase it sold the most is stupid,i bet half of them have either traded in or sold it by now anyway.

You're wrong on your first point. The game did not only sell because of hype and the previous games. Children like you bought it because you're the type of people that continually return to see "Date Movie" and "Scary Movie 5" and "Epic Movie" and "Disaster Movie" type BS and think it's comedy... but there are people out there who understand GTA IV from a technical point of view and realize how excellent of a game STANDING ON IT'S OWN it is.

 

I played 4 or 5 hours of the game at a friends house, and went out the next weekend to buy a PS3 and GTA IV. And that was after reading many reviews, watching YouTube videos, and reading the forums - all of which couldn't stop raving about how awesome the game was at the time - which was about 3 days after it was released. I bought the game because, even though it lacked a lot of what made San Andreas fun, GTA IV is fun to me in a DIFFERENT way and I saw it as the final reason I needed to finally get a PS3 (MGS4, GT3, Uncharted, RE5 and God of War 3 being 4 other reasons, since I know you'll ask.)

 

Your second point, you're half right. Saying anything is good because of it's sales is stupid. The stupid new Star Wars animated movie sold well - but it's getting terrible reviews and people who have seen it say it sucks.

 

Your second half of your second point is just more idiot fanboy logic. Sell GTA IV because it's not San Andreas for 360? That's so immature.

I read the bit about you calling me child then i stopped at the bit where you said you played at your friends house.

 

idiot.

[CarnageRacing00]

I read the bit about you calling me child then i stopped at the bit where you said you played at your friends house.

 

idiot.

...what is your point? That I'm an idiot/child because I played the game at a friend's house before I bought it? Are 23 year olds not allowed to visit their friends or something?

 

Kid, you need to learn a bit of common sense before you attempt to insult someone.