If there’s one similarity people are making between Halo 3 and Grand Theft Auto IV, it’s the amount of hype surrounding both games. Halo 3 had enough hype from the media and gamers leading up to its September release that we wrote a parody song about it. Now, just so you know, this isn’t going to be some sort of Halo-hating article. Halo 3 is a solid game. I believe it deserved some of the hype it received, just not all of it. Certainly not it’s own Mountain Dew flavor.
All though if GTA had a sponsored whiskey, I wouldn’t mind it at all.
For all the similarities between Halo 3 and GTA IV’s release, there is one major difference. Follow me after the jump to find out what I think it is.
Halo 3’s hype was driven by the media and advertisements. Of course, the previous two entries in the series had a modest amount of impact, but if you look back on the months before release you’ll see that we were barraged with Halo 3 in all directions. Microsoft did everything in its power to let the world know that Master Chief was coming, and that everything would be alright when he got here. As far as I’ve seen, Grand Theft Auto hasn’t gotten that kind of treatment. Poor Niko.
The hype for Grand Theft Auto IV has been built up slowly over the years by the gaming community. However, the game has received a fair amount of press, from people like us, your local gaming blogs, politicians griping around its “realism,” to the gaming media talking about the 360 DLC, or its delay, at no cost to Rockstar. Past that, it’s the gamers who have raised GTA IV on a pedestal after viewing trailers, or any snippet of gameplay, though I do agree that a trailer to reveal the box art was a bit tacky.
Think about it for a second. If you’re really tired over the hype of Grand Theft Auto IV, who is to blame? Besides a couple commercials and early reviews, the world outside our little bubble hasn’t seen the hype, at least nowhere near the onslaught of Halo 3.
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11 responses so far ↓
1 Goates // Apr 28, 2008 at 10:14 am
From all the reviews that are pouring in of GTA IV and its current metascore on metacritic of 99 and 100 really show that it hasnt been hyped enough. This is the game that they should have been making a mountain dew flavour for and putting a millionm adverts up on every station cause this game is looking like it is living up to all the hype. Roll on tommorrow when my copy come through the door
2 Tweep // Apr 28, 2008 at 10:43 am
@ Animathias
I think that you are absolutely correct. Rockstar posted a few trailers (and a silly, somewhat hyped cover art reveal) left an NDA in effect and let the gaming community go nuts.
Well, we did go nuts and this was due to our own enthusiasm for the series.
Halo 3 on the other hand had trailer after trailer and gameplay after gameplay video handed down from Microsoft like Moses and the Mount.
Funny thing is that Halo wasn’t a burning bush (Halo Jesus aside!) and GTA might end up having a better reception due to the fact that nobody from Rockstar told me it was going to change the way I play games…
3 RK1 FaMiCuS // Apr 28, 2008 at 10:44 am
I actually don’t think GTAIV was even closed to being hyped up like Halo 3 was, and plus GTAIV is getting perfect like reviews, I would definitely say it is living up to the hype plus more.
4 balaamsafe // Apr 28, 2008 at 11:52 am
6 hrs left
5 FlintSteelton // Apr 28, 2008 at 1:58 pm
I’ve been seeing posters all over the place for GTA4 for a few months. Seen them in WalMart, GameStop, Fry’s, Blockbuster, etc.
I think instead of TV commercials, they went for posters and flyers, cause it’s all over stores here in Phoenix.
6 JakubK666 // Apr 28, 2008 at 3:23 pm
In terms of hype,they’re both on par.
The difference is that we won’t have 90% of the community bashing GTA4 for being GTA3/SA/VC+Next-Gen Graphics.
I’ll never understand it.Just take a look at CoD4 vs Halo 3 war.They’re essentially exactly same games(though I’d still give points to Halo 3) yet one is heavily bashed while the other gets some really overhyped awards. Best PS3/360/PC game and Best Graphics for example.
7 irish boy90 // Apr 28, 2008 at 3:58 pm
GTA will get its fame after it’s out. When the news channels do specials on how this 18+ game is bad for ten year olds…..
8 Blackswordsman // Apr 28, 2008 at 4:14 pm
This is coming in the morning. Gonna listen to the podcast(usually listen to it in the morning, but today was… odd) go to sleep and then play the hell out of THIS.
As for the hype, yeah not counting gaming related media, the mainstream has almost past by completly for GTA, except for one advert on tv. There is not even an advert for the PS3 version, just 360.
9 Johnz0r // Apr 29, 2008 at 2:04 am
It may not be a mountain dew flavor but thee will be a gta IV drink as my RE teacher’s son works for rockstar and thought up the idea and got half a years pay extra for thinking of it
10 asd // Apr 29, 2008 at 3:37 am
who carews how much they were hyped . just how good they are . roll on midnight lauch party
11 lame // Apr 30, 2008 at 9:49 am
GTA IV is so overhyped its not funny. I think most reviewers hadn’t played up a GTA game in a while because it is exactly the same as the other ones with some slight tweaks. (Same as Halo 3). GTA III was deserving of all that hype as it was revolutionary. GTA: Vice City is still my favorite after playing 5 hours of GTA IV.
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