Left 4 Dead 2 in Valve’s future! DLC on the way for Left 4 Dead

4 January 2009

Posted by:Ferry

At E3 2009 Valve confirmed Left 4 Dead 2 is coming exclusively to Xbox 360 and PC, when it’s released on November 17, 2009.

The title adds melee combat to enable deeper co-operative gameplay, with items such as a chainsaw, frying pan, axe, baseball bat, and more. Check it out in this first Left 4 Dead 2 trailer:

“A large part of how Left 4 Dead became 2008′s top-selling new IP on Xbox 360 and the PC was the custom-tailored gameplay made possible by the AI Director,” said Gabe Newell, president and co-founder of Valve. “With the knowledge gained from creating the original, new technology, and a passionate team, L4D2 will set a new benchmark for cooperative action games.”

Introducing the AI Director 2.0, L4D’s dynamic gameplay is taken to the next level by giving the Director the ability to procedurally change weather effects, world objects, and pathways in addition to tailoring the enemy population, effects, and sounds to match the players’ performance. The result is a unique game session custom fitted to provide a satisfying and uniquely challenging experience each time the game is played.

Featuring new Survivors, boss zombies, weapons, and items, Left 4 Dead 2 offers a much larger game than the original with more co-operative campaigns, more Versus campaigns, and maps for Survival mode available at launch.

Supported by a $10+ million marketing campaign, Left 4 Dead has sold over 2.5 million retail copies since it was released in November of 2008. Left 4 Dead 2 is targeted for release on Xbox 360 and the PC on November 17, 2009, and will be launched worldwide with a multi-million dollar marketing campaign across TV, Outdoor, and Online.

“Left 4 Dead was backed by our most aggressive advertising campaign to date, and resulted in a top 5 showing on two platforms during holiday 2008,” said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. “Left 4 Dead 2 is a larger game and will be supported with even more consumer and retail advertising programs than the original.”

Left 4 Dead 2 characters fighting for life
Valve’s Chet Faliszek, known as one of the writers on the dialog in Left 4 Dead and Portal, was recently interviewed about the future of the Left 4 Dead franchise and what it was like working on the shooter.

He mainly talks about how the upcoming downloadable content would include more versus stories, but then switches to an interesting comment about the storyline of the game and what we presume to be that of the sequel, Left 4 Dead 2. To quote: “The backstory, in a way, would have to be something different. I don’t wanna play the backstory in a game, like where the infection came from and stuff.

Uhm, but I think we definitely have plans to continue on talking about the infection, the world. Because that’s the interesting thing right? How the world reacts to it, how it all falls apart or pulls together. (Let’s gonna go out there and fight! Alright!) But some people (I think) are of the mind that they wanted a little more story, some (you know) seeing the bulk of you are happy with the way it was told. So I think our plan is to just keep updating the game. Keep exploring the world and what’s going on in it.”

I don’t know about you, but count me in for more co-op action! — Hear the full interview over at Kotaku.

Update: Now that the game’s been released, check out our Left 4 Dead 2 codes guide for PC.

Categories: News, PC News, Xbox 360 News

CPE

The dude didn’t imply anything about a Left For Dead 2, he was saying he’s going to make a junkload of downloads for the single first Left 4 Dead. Though, considering its sales rate, and the room in the plot (considering there hardly was one), it’d be stupid not to make a second. Left For Dead is great, but I think it lacks something. Not enough variety of weapons and not enough…I dunno. *Some*thing. It feels like a lot of lucky button bashing in that game. It just needs something more. Also, Smokers should totally be able to YANK people instead of drag them slowly away along the ground. More than half the time, you don’t even wind up being dragged all the way due to a wall or a 90 degree angle. There should be more power behind those tongues to rip you out of windows and reel you up those walls. The game also needs more of a scare factor. Despite the freaky noises and music, because you are constantly flooded with easily dispatched zombies, there is no suspence. Also, zombies should hunt YOU down, not be waiting around for you to kill. It seems like once you clear out a room, you can hang around there all day with no worries of something sneaking up from behind. That isn’t scary.
Mrtn

Waw! I like this game, this is the best surviving game that I’ve ever played. I hope in left 4 dead 2, there will be more missions and chapters, and every chapters, I want longer route, by the way, don’t forget more kind of weapons! How about katana XD?
Jonathan

So yeah i played the game since it came out on computer and the missions are way to easy even on expert. but yeah i love the new survival mode. but i do agree with Mrtn, he has a great idea about the new weapons and new chapters and mission of course. and i think that during the opening of the new game each character gets something bad happen to them and then they get like an extra bonus, with each weapon like some silencers or some laser sight. but still huge fan of the game so are my friends i told them to play it once and they love the game. but keep updating and hopefully the comments that i wrote would really help for the sequel
Joe

Everything u guys said……..but how about some free roam action??? and a campaign with missions to go in and save som1 or something? Even missions where your a zombie and you should customize what they look like and what their special is…(like a hunter)
Billy Idolz

You guys above me are dumb….. Customablity…. COME ON! thats bullshit! It’s a shoot em up style game not spore….
TrueL4DFan

God why would you add all of that? I agree with Billy because it doesnt need to be elaborate the reason it won GOY is because of how simple the controls and gameplay were, why ruin it?
dodow1234

Wow I though I’ll still play l4d for the next couple years, but looks like valve catch me ofguard this time. There is already sequel to this great game?? Dammit don’t you guys think Valve a bit to hasty to release this sequel. Even thought I have nothing against it, it’s just a bit to fast.

Plus one more negative point, no more Zoey?? Dammit, I’m gonna miss that babe. Lol
http://www.tuttar4president.webs.com tuttar4president

i might consider not buying this new version of left4dead, since i’m still playing the original (and it doesnt get bored after 300 hours of playtime). find it cool though that there is a larger variety of weapons and daytime action
besides, i cant let zoey down can i? xD
only1sgop

Really, u need to be able to run away even when the herd of zombies or only one of them hits u.(Also, the tank is faster than u) No matter what your health is they always out run u. In some survival levels most don’t have one spot or one room that you can defend on. Why zombies mow down some brick or steel walls that should be considered unbreakable. There is no way to have the npc to stay in one spot or do exactly what u want however, It’s the best npc I’ve played with. Don’t know if I want to play the next L4D because I will be too busy playing this one. 5 golds in survival and a lot more to go.
Fallid

For the most part, I agree with Billy. There shouldn’t be customability. However, I think that there should be things like costumes (like if you took zoey, and put her in a green vest instead). Minor things, that you unlocked by doing certain tasks (beating 1 expert campaign, all 4 expert campaigns, lasting X amount of time in Survival, getting X amount of points in 1 round of versus, etc.) A little variability that won’t affect the gameplay, but more of a way of feeling like you get something for beating a hard challenge, other than the satisfaction of saying ‘I pwn.’