Hi Ben,

This is a really hard one to call.

For starters I don't think SC2 will be released in 2008. I've followed blizzard games for a long time. Heck, I've played over 5000 Starcraft / Broodwars games on b.net!

Blizzard won't release SC2 until it's ready. They still have to have the closed beta and then the open beta. I don't think it's going to be released in 2008.

Balance will be a huge thing for SC2 and balancing and testing is going to take a long time to achieve this. Blizzard knows very well the success of SC2 depends on play balance. It's highly unlikely that SC2 will be released in 2008.

As for which will be a bigger game I think GTA4 will definately be the more popular of the two. Many people don't like RTS but everyone and their grandma loves GTA.

GTA4 will be impressive, especially since it's the most realistic simulation of New York ever made. I think this might bring so many people to gaming who otherwise wouldn't have even tried a PC game.

In conclusion, I think SC2 will be the next huge RTS game but GTA4 will be the bigger game since it appeals to the masses and from what I've seen it will deliver to the masses.



Apartments Estepona

Disagreed.

I am far more of a Starcraft fan than Grand Theft Auto but I am being, what is known as, objective.

Let's look at the figures:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand [...] reas#Sales


"As of September 26, 2007, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has sold 20 million units,[33] with 8.6 million of those units being sold in the US.[32"

Starcraft totals 9.5 million copies.

I understand Starcraft was released a long time ago, but this 9.5 million includes 4 million sales in Korea alone.

Now, you gotta also realise that GTA4 isn't even coming out on PC this year. It's only 360 and PS3.

If you're talking about PC only sales then yeah, SC2 will crush GTA4 but when you combine the console sales SC2 will get pwned.

"SC2 is being designed for people (men women and children) of pretty much all ages and computers."

Just because a game is DESIGNED for all ages doesn't mean it appeals to everyone. Grand Theft Auto appeals to a broarder audience than Starcraft whether you like it or not.

Oh and those SC sales figures includes BW as well.

One thing that turns people away from RTS is the complexity and speed required. It's also why so many people love MMORPGs or Sims because they require very little skill to play.

GTA4 is simple, fun and looks beautiful, 3 reasons why it's gonna dominate sales.

Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to SC2 more than GTA4. In fact, I've been looking forward to SC2 ever since I stopped playing SC when War3 came out.

Try to be more obejective.


Estepona Apartments

My avatar says what I want..

STABILIZE THE WARP FIELDS!

I have no doubt GTA IV is going to be really fun, GTA series has been one of my favs since I played GTA2, I got SA for my youngest sister recently, she loves it, it's pretty fun. Way better than the sims (16 million) and sims 2 (16 million again :\ ), which she both has, i'm so glad she doesn't play those 2 games anymore.. Sims thumbs down, San Anreas thumbs up!

When GTA4 comes out for PC, I will probably get it. (although not announced, but couple months later..)

Yeah, GTA4 will be huge. SC2, barring any horrific miscalculations, will be infinitely better. Clearly sales does not equal quality these days. You could release a console game called "PimP" with dated graphics and gameplay consistiing of only the content of the "Hot Coffee" mod in San Andreas and you'd sell five million copies - especially if it was marketed as "gritty".

I have to say that I'm pretty shocked by how bad the modeling and textures in GTA4 look. I mean, it looks better than the atrocious-looking San Andreas, but they'd better be implementing a pretty serious overhall before the release. I mean, look at the trailer for Mafia II by comparison. Of course, the original Mafia was a system-killer, so maybe it will have to be toned-down to run on the consoles...

Ben extoles the virtues playing the game in a "realistic" Liberty City, but I think that "realism" may not be the best thing for the GTA games. I've played the original GTA, GTAIII, Vice City and San Andreas and the goofiest and most unrealistic of them, Vice City, was easily the most fun. It was kind of a cross between Liberty City and Carmageddon. I know, everyone thought that San Andreas was the greatest, but I thought it was a total drag. With some mods it was at least playable on the PC - I don't know how the consolers got through that snorefest.

I'll reserve judgment until the games come out (next year!). Still, SC2 looks to be pretty incredible....

SC2 is a serious game...you can't compare it to GTA ffs

I agree that GTAIV is obviously going to sell more overall.

But I also think that a 2008 release for SC2 is unrealistic.

Blizzard always delays their games, because they want their games to be perfect. I don't see SC2 until Mid 2009.

Hope I'm wrong of course, but its Blizzard we are talking about.

As for whats "Bigger", I think that SC2 will probably have a bigger affect on its platform, and will have longer lasting appeal.

Few games today are still compared to games that are ten year old, but games are still compared to Starcraft, it is still the Gold Standard of RTS's. SC2 could easily take the throne of the original, and be influential for years to come, and still be a game that people will compare games to.

GTAIV? In 4 years, people will not compare games to GTAIV, they will compare it to whatever the most recent bad ass Sandbox Vehicular Crime Saga game is.

I will buy SC2 ASAP. I would buy GTA4 ASAP as well, IF they'd sell it to me on my PC. Since they won't, they lose, because I'm not getting a PS3 or a 360 just for that.

Mafia also had the best plot I've experienced in any game. 10 for story. The voice acting was top notch also.

You're right about the high system requirements. Mafia 2 looks like it's going to require some serious hardware.

I hope they include some kind of economy and more things to purchase stuff this time around.



Estepona Apartments

- First of all, theres a huge difference between the 2 in that SC2 is MADE for PC gaming and always has been. Whereas GTA has always been console. Even now GTAIV is aimed at PS3 more than PC.

- Then you cant really compare these two games. They are so different. Not the same idea, aim, context, ambience or feeling. So no you cant really.

- So down to the questions:
- What will be the bigger 2008 release: The long awaited sequel for the godfather of the RTS, or sales juggernaut from Rockstar? Which game do you think will be bigger?
* On PC, its a toughy. Not so much because of the people the games are aimed at (from previous answers) but because its true; to the immediate general public, GTA is the winner, the one the guy that just wants a game, if he had the choice between these two, would buy. The one the kid will want. The most appealing JUMP OUT IN YOUR FACE one. PLUS the massive publicity by Rockstar.
BUT to anyone that knows their PC games i think SC2 is the most appealing. Just knowing Blizzard and the quality of their games makes me wanna buy it.

- Which would you rather play? Which would you rather BUY?
* I'm obviously going to play the one i buy. I'm not even a BIG fan of both but i'd definetely buy both of them. If i HAD TO CHOOSE i'd get GTA first, simply because of its mass appeal and seeing as ive completed every single one of them. But so could say a SC fan!

- Verdict: GTA will have the biggest sales. SC2 is the better PC gamer choice. But both are MUST BUYS!

Thank you for taking your time in reading this,
Soul Reaper 13

Or for guys who want some time away from the wife.