Here are the top five Xbox 360 games by unique user according to Major Nelson’s blog:

1. Call of Duty 4
2. Halo 3
3. Guitar Hero III
4. Gears of War
5. Rock Band

Perhaps the real surprise is the longevity of Gears of War. I really loved that game and I’m glad it’s still in the top five most played games on LIVE, over a year after its release. That sort of staying power is rare in the console scene, in my opinion.

Maybe Gears will give birth to the next bitterly hardcore e-sports community? Having played extensively, I think it’s a tactical enough game for it to happen.

Read: LIVE Activity for week of 1/14