Xbox Live 'Call of Duty' syndrome

So I logged on to Xbox Live the other night and I saw 5 friends online... all of them playing COD4. This is really nothing new for me, as it has been this way since I got a 360 for Christmas last year. I was excited about the whole Xbox Live thing and being able to play with them, but all they want to do is play this one fucking game.

Whenever a big name title comes out (like GTA4), they'll play it for maybe a week at most, and then they're all back to COD4. Well, that's not entirely true... since COD5 came out, they're about evenly split between COD4 & 5.

I'm not really into FPS games myself, so was kind of hoping this would pass, but it hasn't. I eventually picked up COD4 just so I could play something online with people I actually know, but I stood no chance against the lifers, who have probably been playing FPS games since Doom came out in the 90's. What they need is some kind of 'newbie lounge' so that the 'once a week' people like me can go online and play each other, and not get slaughtered every single time.

Anyway, just wondering if anybody else has witnessed this phenomenon, or if the whole COD craze is just amoung my circle of friends.

I'll go ahead and agree with you there. Multiplayer devotees should broaden their horizons.

I'm not sure if this helps but I went to a LAN party a few years ago and was weirded out by the hardcore Counterstrike crowd. They all called each other by their online handles (even when outside) and when they died in CS, they threw a batshit insane tantrum like somebody just punched their mother. To top it off, they thought I was weird when I brought beer and drank it while playing.

COD4 is a good solid game, so of course FPS players will stick to it.  People can play one multiplayer game for years.  If you are getting your ass kicked in COD4 just keep at it, play for fun.

I first played CoD4 on the PC at my friends house, and I went over there pretty often. Then when I got a 360, I got it for that, and realized that I had to make a ton of adjustments. So I was pretty much a noob again, playing against all these experienced people.

So yeah, I wish there was some sort of "newbie lounge" for those sort of people.

I know what thats like, all my friends that ive gamed with for the past 5 years are now addicted to WoW so i almost never enjoy playing online games anymore.

The key to being good at any Call of Duty game is to buy it when it comes out and beat the game on Veteran.