Valve settles on November Left 4 Dead release

by Dustin Burg { May 24th 2008 at 2:30PM }

Valve's upcoming zombie survival game Left 4 Dead is moving further and further along in its development cycle and for a while now we've been given a way too vague "Fall 2008" release time frame. Now, thanks to an interview with Shacknews, Valve's own Doug Lombardi has narrowed Left 4 Dead's release date to a much more acceptable November 2008 release. Which, coincidentally, will be just in time for all the turkey day festivities. Because everyone knows zombie killing and a heaping mound of stuffing go together quite well.

Tags: left-4-dead, left-four-dead, valve

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

JerkfacedFed @ May 24th 2008 2:50PM

awesome, but what are you thinking competing with gears 2? either stuff this into christmas shopping time or release earlier by at least 2 weeks of gears. definitely getting it, but i want it to sell well to have more people to play it with.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 2:54PM

Oh Sweet.

I wish they released a demo meanwhile.

Drachen77 @ May 24th 2008 3:04PM

Ahhh, nothing says "Family gathering" like a frag fest of killing zombies.

"Dad, how's that turkey coming?"

"Shut up kids, I am busy shooting zombie heads off. Maybe you guys should try cooking for once!"

Matthew Moore @ May 24th 2008 3:35PM

I love Valve, even though they are as vague as the Bush administration. It would be nice to have at least a date.

Bac0nator @ May 24th 2008 3:40PM

that article has made me hungry

Yuccadude @ May 24th 2008 4:08PM

My wallet will be empty come november thanks to SW: The Force Unleashed, Dead Space, and possibly Too Human, depending on the demo and if my friend gets it.

Sharpy @ May 24th 2008 5:18PM

Too many great games coming all at once during those months. I will have to pass on this one.

Will probably just wait on it until the PS3 version is out and just buy it then. I give it 6 months and it will be on the PS3, just like every quality 360 game sans Halo.

Will @ May 24th 2008 5:31PM

Consider that this is on a Valve site:
http://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Valve_Time
It will be interesting to see if they meet Nov 08 and it will be the first date they have even announced and met.

RFR @ May 24th 2008 5:49PM

This game looks really, really, really generic.
Does anyone else feel the same way?

Trekster_Gamer @ May 24th 2008 5:56PM

Nope,

Buy some glasses, or stop looking at the game as Mario would....

bigd7387 @ May 24th 2008 7:22PM

From the movies and stills I've seen of the game there is nothing that I would call generic about it. The only thing about the game that has reminded me of since the first time I saw it was a multi-player version of "Hunter the Reckoning" which was one of the best ghoul killing games that I ever played at the time.

Mr.ESC @ May 24th 2008 7:41PM

It uses the Source engine maybe that’s why it looks familiar but believe me the gameplay is entirely different.

Sort of like TF2 except classes are divided between Humans and Zombies. You can play as a zombie but not just any zombie, you can choose between different zombies, each with unique abilities oh and all the zombies run fast unlike Resident evil.

Ghostbuddy @ May 24th 2008 5:48PM

---I give it 6 months and it will be on the PS3, just like every quality 360 game sans Halo.---

Gears of War, Mass Effect.and Forza 2....Gears of War and Forza 2 are owned by MS. Mass Effect was owned by MS.

The ps3 is going to get 1 quality 360 game, Bioshock. A year later, not 6 months.

Either way, if the ps3 does get left 4 Dead(and they probably will), it won't be valve doing it. Some one is going to have to offer to do it for valve. And chances are, the 360 version will be better just like The Orange Box.

Anyways really looking forward to this game. I orginally thought it was going to be out earlier, alot earlier. But what can you do?

Sharpy @ May 24th 2008 6:33PM

Ghost Buddy: You need to check your facts.

Epic owns the Gears IP and MS has licensed Gears 1 & 2 for a limited time. The assumption is that when Gears 3 launches both 1 & 2 will be available for the PS3.

Mass Effect IP is owned by BioWare and they are being published by MS. BioWare is now owned by EA and we know how EA games go. Just how the Bioshock scenario went, BioWare has been seeking PS3 programmers and even Bioware themselves have not denied when asked if they are coming to the PS3. MS doesn't share the idea that unique IP's only available on their system move hardware. They just go for the quick cash grab and move along and don't secure the games permanently

Mark my words, they are coming. There is no need to even own a 360 this gen if you have some patience. That patience pays off because you get the superior versions of these games.

wickedpheonix @ May 24th 2008 6:48PM

@ Sharpy -

Most multi-platform games these days are virtually identical in terms of features and quality - I'm looking at you, Burnout Paradise and Call of Duty 4.

Tony @ May 24th 2008 6:55PM

Firstly, that whole concept of GoW games going elsewhere has never exactly been confirmed. I've never read a single comment of note on this idea from anyone at Epic or elsewhere... which would mean all of this is essentially someone looking at the little information both companies have provided us on their future plans and jumping to conclusions. Microsoft funded the first title and I imagine the second as well, the idea that they'll show up on a competing console does not seem probable. There's a very big difference between funding development to that extent and, say, publishing and assisting in marketing the final product as Microsoft did with Mass Effect (besides which, the sale of the company to EA creates extremely new sets of circumstances).

Secondly, there's plenty of games that aren't going to the PS3 that clearly people care about. Many are obviously first party owned, funded by MGS or published by MGS. All of these things throw wrenches into what will 'obviously' be exclusive at all.

But personally, I'm not going to ignore games like Fable 2, Ninja Gaiden 2, Banjo Kazooie, Viva Pinata, Too Human and whatever new titles and sequels get announced within the next few years for the vague hope that some random titles announced for the 360 will eventually show up on the PS3. The PS3 surely will wind up with many of the other random 3rd party titles and certainly has its own great exclusives, which is something I'm not oblivious to either.

So personally, I don't know why you're bothering to try coming off objective about this. You're ignoring the obvious exclusives in favor of something you clearly have preferred from the outset (the PS3). Personally, I'm more interested in the clear Xbox 360 exclusives and it's obvious that you're more interested in the clear PS3 exclusives.

That's your prerogative, but don't make it seem like the rest of us are not market savvy or stupid consumers because we're not necessarily going to wait for "superior" versions of things that aren't even announced.

Gamertag: GOPAL892005 @ May 24th 2008 6:59PM

why should i have 2 wait to play a game if its already out?

u'r welcome 2 my sloppy seconds if u want it.

i wanna play AAA titles now, not when Sony says i can.
oh, btw, has the nxtgen started already? coz Sony havn't said so yet, just wondering.

Richie @ May 24th 2008 7:08PM

@Sharpy

What are you talking about? Epic does own the Gears IP, but MS have the EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO BOTH GAMES. Did I also mention their PUBLISHED BY MICROSOFT? Epic can't port Gears to any Non Microsoft platform, or MS will sue. Xbox 360 gamers can't even get Golden Eye and Nintendo DIDN'T PUBLISH IT. Imagine when someone does. It can't be ported UNLESS MICROSOFT SAYS IT'S OKAY.

http://news.filefront.com/rumor-squashed-gears-of-war-not-coming-to-the-ps3/

http://www.joystiq.com/2007/06/04/rumorong-rein-says-gears-of-war-on-ps3-rumor-is-bull/

http://playstation3.wordpress.com/2007/06/05/ps3-will-not-get-gears-of-war/

I just want to remind you about Bioshock MS didn't publish it, or give T2 any money whatsoever for the game. It's the same with Ninja Gaiden 1 it came to ps3 years later because MS didn't publish it. If you can name me just ONE GAME that EVER came to a Sony console that was PUBLISHED BY MS. You can shut me up. There's a possibility MGS4 may come to 360 because it isn't PUBLISHED BY SONY. The chances of Gears going to ps3 is the same as Ratchet
& Clank coming to 360.

Will @ May 24th 2008 7:08PM

http://xbox.joystiq.com/2008/05/05/valve-distances-themselves-from-ps3-development/

elmersglue @ May 25th 2008 11:01AM

in conclusion...sharpy, you're a douche bag.

I honestly don't think i've heard a worse argument than "no need to own a 360 because the PS3 MIGHT get the games 360 owners have been playing for at least 6 months"

You have no place here, run along now...

RFR @ May 24th 2008 6:18PM

@Trekster_Gamer

"or stop looking at the game as Mario would...."
WTF does this mean?

Anyway, I have 20/20 vision and i when look at this game. All i see is GENERIC.

Just because this is a Valve game. Does give them a free pass. I don't like it.

wickedpheonix @ May 24th 2008 6:52PM

you mean "just because it's a Valve game, does that give them a free pass?"?

Hell yeah! Have you ever played a Valve game? Valve is one of those developers that produces such high quality games that you're going to buy their product irregardless of anything - like Bungie or Infinity Ward.

And knowing Valve, they're going to inject new life into the genre one way or another, point being, we really don't know that much about how it plays, story line, or anything because Valve doesn't like to spoil much for people ahead of time (thank goodness). Besides, the initial previews by various blogs around the net have been pretty good...

wickedpheonix @ May 24th 2008 6:54PM

Honestly, how in the hell am I going to live past this season too? It's shaping up to be another 2007 - right now right off the top of my head I'm looking at Left 4 Dead, Gears 2, and 007 Quantum Solace (what... the movies are expensive these days...)

But, I figure I should be thankful in a way though if Valve actually does meet a November 08 deadline because that means we're going to get yearly releases from Valve - Half-Life 2 Episode 3 Fall 2009 anybody?

shoji(x) @ May 24th 2008 7:11PM

Hi u know what???this is how it is ps3 gets all the games that 360 had first,and another thing they r released on 360 first make tons of money and then to milk the game some more(just abit more as ps3 guys don,t really buy games,only the ones that they have played b4 and yes xpensive demos,they get the game 1 yr later,the same game(s) that they say was not all that when it is only on 360,but now woowwwww it is the best thing since sliced bread,sony guys i love your loyalty.

bigd7387 @ May 24th 2008 7:14PM

@Sharpy.

Besides the fact that you take up valuable space on the planet which could be used by a better person, you are a tool of epic proportions.

Gears of War 1, 2 or 3 will never ever show up on the PS3 and if you think different your worse than what I 've already described you as. MS has more money than Sony will ever have and they own the actual rights to the Gears of War Franchise. If you don't believe me than check MS own website and their game replacement program for a broken disk. It reads that games published by MS is covered by this program and MS owns all publishing rights for Gear of War whether it be Gears 1 or 2 or in the future Gears 3. Epic only developed the game just like Bizzare Creations made PGR series but it stays with MS after Bizzare left because MS holds the Publishing rights which means that you will never see it on the (P)iece of (S)hit 3. You can cry all you want but you will never see a Gears of War on the Sony Delaystation. And Valve will not do any game for the PS3 so if you ever get Left for Dead it will be by another company from EA and it will Suck as bad as Orange Box did on your powerful Blu-ray movie player. Plus since the system sucks to develop on it will be another 18 months before you would get it. Ha-Ha.

Face it you got the Shit system so suck it up and play LittleBigDelay and Home and cry by yourself in your dark little corner. Hell if you had any games for the PS3 you wouldn't have to use it to surf the internet and Spam Xbox sites instead of playing games.

Welcome to Life and you lose. But I think you already knew that.

iFester @ May 24th 2008 8:40PM

I think the console wars should be re-titled 'the fanboy wars'. Consoles play games, choose the one that's best for 'you'. Can't we all just get along? :(

Chester @ May 24th 2008 8:45PM

Amen to that!!

Im actually really looking forward to this game, 4 player online co-op? No complaints here!

Jonah Falcon @ May 24th 2008 8:48PM

Left 4 Dead is so hot it's nuclear.

Cutty @ May 24th 2008 11:35PM

weak.......i'm going to be playing Gears 2 by then.......i don't know if i'll be able to play another game while playing gears 2.........i'll probobly have to make a choice between this and gears, and thats a no brainer.....

Treima @ May 24th 2008 11:47PM

"zombies love cranberry sauce"

That's an awful reference, bonus points to anyone who gets it.

UNSCleric @ May 25th 2008 12:11AM

Valve will never port this to the PS3. If it does go to the PS3, it'll be horrible just like the PS3 version of Orange Box.

Arnon @ May 26th 2008 12:13AM

Lol don't worry. Sharpy is talking purely out of fanboyism. "Every quality 360 game will be ported to the PS3".

Well lets see here.. it's taken 17 months for BioShock to come to PS3.

Mass Effect is STILL unconfirmed

EPIC announced they hate the PS3 rofl. "To settle this BS rumor, Gears will never be seen on the PS3." - As stated by EPIC...

Left 4 Dead will probably never go to PS3 considering that Valve doesn't even like making games for the PS3.

I haven't seen ANY quality games go to the PS3. In fact, most PS3 fans don't even want BioShock now.

Sorry PS3, you cant keep waiting only to hope you get something =P...

Though I do agree, you guys own the 360 with delays. You so got the 360 beat there.