Original Left 4 Dead won't be (left for dead, that is)

by Justin McElroy { Jun 12th 2009 at 12:15PM }

Much like the zombies on which it is centered, Left 4 Dead will continue to shamble on even after its premature death. Valve's Gabe Newell told Kotaku that, despite the upcoming release of Left 4 Dead 2, support will continue for the original, including "tools for Mod makers, community matchmaking, 4x4 matchmaking, and more new content during the coming months." Newell continued: "We also agree with our customers that there needs to be an interoperability plan for players of L4D1 and L4D2, as multiplayer games are driven by the cohesiveness of their community."

Perhaps more notable than the continued support is the fact that numbering the series makes their names indistinguishable from that of Star Wars droids.

Tags: dlc, fps, left-4-dead, left-4-dead-2, valve

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

CrossTheAtlantic @ Jun 12th 2009 12:18PM

1000 wins for Joystiq for the Star Wars droid joke.

Phizzy @ Jun 12th 2009 12:22PM

Won't be what? WON'T BE WHAT!?

CrossTheAtlantic @ Jun 12th 2009 12:24PM

SPOILER ALERT:

Dead. As in Dumbledore. Who is killed by Snape.

Bubbameister33 @ Jun 12th 2009 12:26PM

Dead. As in my sex life.

Ample Salty @ Jun 12th 2009 12:27PM

Wont be featuring Candle Jack. I think that's a good thing, I really ha

Jack Hollow @ Jun 12th 2009 12:28PM

I sincerely hope you're joking and your simply asking for comedic effect as the pun should be quite obvious

Monkey at Work @ Jun 12th 2009 12:28PM

Hahah I was right about to post that as well!

TELL US, WHAT WON'T I TBE?!

Saria the Cat @ Jun 12th 2009 2:24PM

L4D won't be L4D! :D

Judd @ Jun 12th 2009 12:38PM

Joystiq has the cleverest headlines in the world of video game blogs.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 12th 2009 12:26PM

"L4D3 Where are you?!?!?"

DangerMouse @ Jun 12th 2009 12:30PM

In the far off future of 2010.

Antagonist @ Jun 12th 2009 12:31PM

Just wait about 10 or 11 months.

anexanhume @ Jun 12th 2009 1:05PM

I'm just waiting for L4D Bob Ross edition.

...Now we'll just add some happy little zombies over here...

Drew -- PS360: uphillbothways @ Jun 12th 2009 1:42PM

"Where can he be?!"

...I really hope you were going for the quote that Luke makes in the Death Star's trash crusher.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 12th 2009 1:46PM

Nope...CP3O says that...lol

ThatPCgameryouhate @ Jun 12th 2009 3:56PM

You mean C3PO?
Actually I think it was Luke Skywalker.

Chris D.(PSN: Aggie_CEO | XBL:The Aggie CEO | Steam: Aggie_CEO @ Jun 12th 2009 4:24PM

damn Dyslexia.....

but C3PO says it as well...

Maurice M @ Jun 12th 2009 12:30PM

Interoperability is all want really. It's not something I'd demand if L4D2 wasn't coming out so close to the slow burn that has been the L4D1 community's growth.

Victor @ Jun 12th 2009 12:35PM

L4D should work with L4D2 just like Rock Band and Rock Band 2 :D

Hooterman @ Jun 12th 2009 2:15PM

@Victor
I didn't know they confirmed interoperability of Rock Band 1 and 2 with L4D2. Sweet!

Maurice M @ Jun 12th 2009 2:39PM

Zombies love Green Day

coil780 @ Jun 12th 2009 12:32PM

Left 4 Dead won't be Left 4 Dead.

"Interoperability" is an interesting phrase... I wonder if they will allow L4D2 to import the scenarios from L4D1, a la Rock Band 1 & 2. Then L4D2 players would have all the L4D1 content available in addition to the L4D2 content, and L4D1 players would still be able to find matches with L4D2 players.

Personally, none of the maps in L4D have gotten old yet; I can imagine some interest in playing them even with new content in L4D2.

Urza @ Jun 12th 2009 1:50PM

More likely it'll be DLC.

The Dark Wayne @ Jun 12th 2009 12:33PM

If L4D2 doesnt have Bill, I will still be playing number 1

Dr. @ Jun 12th 2009 12:36PM

Gawwddammit, son of a BIIITCH

Old Professor Zertoss @ Jun 12th 2009 12:45PM

Grabbin' suppositories.

Spartan @ Jun 12th 2009 12:52PM

That would be seriously fubared.

Cr4sh Dummy @ Jun 12th 2009 1:11PM

Coach FTW!

Saria the Cat @ Jun 12th 2009 2:26PM

I'm more of a Zoey. Hopefully L4D 2 will have another generic female character for me to play.

Mike @ Jun 13th 2009 9:26PM

Saria is sexist!

uncle jesse @ Jun 12th 2009 12:36PM

Interoperability here!

Chris @ Jun 12th 2009 12:45PM

You know, this is the THIRD time I've tipped Joystiq or one of its sister sites off to news and not given credit.

At the very least they could put "Thanks to everyone who sent this in!", but no they choose to put nothing, as if they had found it.

I submitted that article to Joystiq two hours after it was published. Here we are two days later, and I'm supposed to believe they didn't see the submission?

DigTheDoug @ Jun 12th 2009 12:55PM

Sorry about that, just send me the lead directly next time and I'll jerk you off.

DaveMcRae the Haiku Artist @ Jun 12th 2009 12:57PM

aww poor baby

Shingo_E_X @ Jun 12th 2009 1:22PM

Nerws is about getting information to the masses, not arguing about who gets credit for presenting it. Be a bit humble on the matter.

Shingo_E_X @ Jun 12th 2009 1:22PM

*News

Wilhelm @ Jun 12th 2009 7:10PM

STFU DOUCHE

karmaghost @ Jun 12th 2009 12:46PM

Valve is likely releasing L4D2 as a complete stand-alone because of the issues they're having with updating TF2 on the Xbox. The patch size limitations have basically made updating the Xbox version with the same content from the PC impossible. As such, instead of alienating the Xbox L4D community (which I believe is much bigger than the Xbox TF2 community) and making a bad name for themselves in terms of supporting console releases, Valve has decided to release the major L4D1 "updates" as a stand-alone release for all platforms.

Dr. Flex @ Jun 12th 2009 1:00PM

That is possible, to an extent. It seems like some of the updated features would involve rewriting a lot of code. For example, multiple pathways through a map. Sure the L4D maps have some variation in paths, but not as much as it seems for L4D2. It would be really hard to patch in new pathways to existing maps. Possible, but not likely, hence the release of a new game. To me it seems like L4D was a trial run, to see how it would fare. Well, it fared very well, so they then added a bunch of new stuff and upgrades to create a much larger title that they know will be worth the time, money and work to get it out. That would also make sense why they say it (L4D2) will last longer than the first. The 'trial' was successful, and now time for the full package.

Urza @ Jun 12th 2009 1:56PM

Odd that you should say that.. I have some DLC here.. it's 976mb. Oh! Another for 930 mb.

Nevermind those, 2 gb!

Vidikron @ Jun 12th 2009 2:00PM

I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure I buy the logic. You're basically saying that instead of pissing off console gamers they opted to piss off both PC and console gamers. That doesn't really make sense. And about makng a bad name for themselves with suppoting consoles, but they pretty much already do have a bad rep. They just flat out said "Fuck you" to the PS3 and are fairly slow to repsond to issues on the 360. If this was truly their reasoning then they are on crack.

Kev (gamertag: ksiddique) @ Jun 13th 2009 9:39AM

Someone should let Criterion Games know about the patch size limitations. Burnout Paradise 1.9 is a 1.2GB download!

joeybeast @ Jun 12th 2009 12:58PM

What about those of us bought it on the xbox?
I'm happy to pay for more maps.

CCrosby @ Jun 12th 2009 1:10PM

Thats what I'm saying! Wheres all the DLC from the PC for the xbox players? No love for the console valve?

Nah seriously, I'm sure they're working on a bundle to release before L4D2 releases to hype up the interest by getting people to play the previous one again. Although since I just bought L4D 3 weeks ago, the DLC would be pretty nice right about now...

Hooterman @ Jun 12th 2009 2:22PM

You'll still get to pay for more maps. It's called L4D2.

Toby @ Jun 12th 2009 1:09PM

I really want them to do a sandbox version where you have to find other survivors in this huge city in order to group up, raid supermarkets, dig in etc. Try to establish radio communication to join other groups with the final goal of escaping the city. It would be awesome if executed well, gimme a job Gabe i got concepts fo ya!

jtan @ Jun 13th 2009 3:18PM

That's sounds like a great idea. Would love to see some Director controlled cinematic style events as well, like a blackhawk with a chaingun swooping in when all seems lost... or spawining a NPC sniper on a rooftop etc...

don't want it to seem toooo much like WoW quests though. IE first time you bring 4 cans of gas back to the convoy so survivors can escape sounds cool, but the 3rd or 27th time not so much.

Toby @ Jun 13th 2009 3:43PM

Yeah the possibilities are endless with a sandbox version, loads of movies to pinch ideas from. Having to repair veichles, find parts and fuel, medical supplies, stealing from other groups or merging with them,, would be cool. Members could be bitten or infected but there would be an incentive for them to keep it quiet from other members because its incurable untill they change and become zombies and turn against theor team mates. This would create a constant tension betwen players.

SidearmS @ Jun 12th 2009 1:10PM

When I see it, I will give credit. Right now that interview is really similar to the one he gave when the first game came out. And we are seeing how that turned out...

I still believe that we are seeing L4D2 because they want to keep the console side of it fresh. This is one time the PC players have to give some ground to the XBox 360 players. And yes, I fully expect L4D3 next year because of this.

I honestly do not play this game, and probably never will (NO MORE ZOMBIE games - we peaked when CoD WaW put Nazis in WWII and Zombies TOGETHER), but I do understand that what is done to one game can be done to any of them.

Finally, if nothing else, this "drama" has finally pulled the wool off some gamers eyes as to how Valve runs things these days. No more rose colored glasses now - the days of "everything for free because it is Valve" seem to be over.

XBox 360 - And remember, no matter how heavily modified this might be, the game is still running on a FIVE YEAR OLD engine.