E3: Valve not "closing the book" on L4D

By Robert Purchese Published 5 June, 2009

More DLC coming in "fairly near term".

Valve speaker Doug Lombardi has said the existence of Left 4 Dead 2 does not mean there will be no new content for Left 4 Dead 1. Quite the opposite.

"It's definitely not the case that we're closing the book on L4D and saying, 'Next time you get anything is when the sequel comes out,'" Lombardi told Rock Paper Shotgun.

"Stay tuned, there's more coming - there's more information we're going to talk about for the sequel, there's more content coming for Left 4 Dead in the fairly near term.

"I think the short answer is: trust us a little bit," he added. "We've been pretty good over the years - even with L4D going back just a few months - about supporting games post-launch."

Left 4 Dead 2 adds five new campaigns, four new characters, the city of New Orleans, melee weapons, reworked guns, new ammo, new bosses, gauntlet moments, a Wandering Witch, protected Infected, limb loss, a new unannounced game mode and more control for AI directors.

"In a sense, L4D2 is a response to what players were asking for after the first one shipped," explained Lombardi. "That's really how it came about. I think if folks spot us a bit more time, they may see where we’re going with all this."

Head over to our hands-on impressions of Left 4 Dead 2 to see what we think.

Left 4 Dead 2 is due out 17th November on PC and Xbox 360. Our Left 4 Dead gamepage has more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (38) Latest comment 3 years ago

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  • Buztafen #1 3 years ago

    Like the way he's basically saying 'have we ever let you guys down before....?'

    In Doug we trust!!!

  • hiddenranbir #2 3 years ago

    "In a sense, L4D2 is a response to what players were asking for after the first one shipped,"

    I thought that's what the patches and the game updates were supposed to be.

  • Kazzahdrane #3 3 years ago

    To be fair, the "support" for L4D so far has just been releasing the stuff that was originally planned to be in the game in the first place, plus Survival Mode which I doubt took a huge amount of work.

    I love the game though so can't really complain!

  • superfurry #4 3 years ago

    How about Team Fortress 2? Seems it's been totally abondonned on the 360.

  • Eraysor #5 3 years ago

    I don;t really have a problem with them making a sequel so quickly. The game is so good all it needs is more content really.

  • skillian #6 3 years ago

    I will wait and see like has been suggested, but I have lost a little faith in what I consider(ed) to be the last great PC developer.

    They have *never* let me down before, and they make the best games in the world by quite some distance, so they get way more wiggle room than any other developer would ;)

  • Domovoi #7 3 years ago

    Yet they have closed the book on Half-Life 2 Episode 3 in order to make yet another zombie shooter.

  • ademkermad #8 3 years ago

    Please release Team Fortress on XBLA with all the PC upgrades. I own the Orange Box, but I would pay again for an updated version with less lag

  • jim1975 #9 3 years ago

    if i was him i would bother trying to justify myself to the moaning, fucking petition making, bitches that populate internet forums.

  • Freek #10 3 years ago

    Where's Episode 3?

  • kinky_mong #11 3 years ago

    "Yet they have closed the book on Half-Life 2 Episode 3 in order to make yet another zombie shooter."

    When have they ever said that? For that matter when have they ever stated a date when Episode 3 was meant to arrive, which has been put back because of Left 4 Dead or any other game?

    You see a few post up where it says Valve shouldn't have to justify themselves to petty morons? You're are one of those morons.

  • trooperdx3117 #12 3 years ago

    God damn it Valve I don't care about Left 4 Dead 2. Wheres Episode 3!

  • skillian #13 3 years ago

    I actually still can't believe people bitched about a sequel to one of the best games last year, if not ever.

    That's because you are probably a console gamer through and through (apologies if you are not, but most PC gamers can see why people might be annoyed even if they don't agree themselves).

    Console gamers have different expectations - hell, there's one a few posts above saying he would be willing to pay for Team Fortress a second time if they fixed the lag.

  • kangarootoo #14 3 years ago

    "yet another zombie shooter"

    That is like describing the Golden Gate Bridge as "yet another bridge".

  • kangarootoo #15 3 years ago

    "That's because you are probably a console gamer through and through (apologies if you are not, but most PC gamers can see why people might be annoyed even if they don't agree themselves).

    Console gamers have different expectations - hell, there's one a few posts above saying he would be willing to pay for Team Fortress a second time if they fixed the lag."


    What?!? I used to play PC games, and I gradually moved over to console (after a fairly long period of overlap). And I can honestly say I didn't wake up one morning with a different idea of what I wanted out of a game.

    In short, just what on earth are you talking about young man?

  • Domovoi #16 3 years ago

    For that matter when have they ever stated a date when Episode 3 was meant to arrive

    They've stated several times that the episodic format would enable them to release episodes much faster than 'full' games. Meanwhile they've released L4D, and announced L4D 2, all in the space between two episodes, while the promise of an announcement regarding Episode 3 by the end of 2008 was happily ignored.

    You see a few post up where it says Valve shouldn't have to justify themselves to petty morons? You're are one of those morons.

    I never asked Valve to justify themselves to me, and I really don't care what some apologetic fanboy calls me. :)

  • kangarootoo #17 3 years ago

    Anyway, on subject...

    "limb loss"

    Ooo, didn't notice that in any details before. Interesting.

    I am kind of guessing that means it is the undead that are losing limbs. But I kind of think it might be interesting if the survivors could also lose them (taped up stumps and no-more twin pistol wielding, etc). It might be a pain in the butt too I guess.

  • skillian #18 3 years ago

    What?!? I used to play PC games, and I gradually moved over to console (after a fairly long period of overlap). And I can honestly say I didn't wake up one morning with a different idea of what I wanted out of a game.

    In short, just what on earth are you talking about young man?

    Additional CoD4 multiplayer maps are free for the PC, but must be payed for on consoles. The different expectations of PC/console gamers is the reason Infinity Ward made that decision.

    That's one example, but there are plenty more if you want them. The difference in reaction to the news of LFD2 between console and PC gamers is of course another.

    edit: I didn't mean it as an insult, it's just a difference in the history of the platforms. And this difference may not apply to you, especially if you made a gradual transition between the two, but I am talking in general terms.

    last, final edit: Missing limbs would mean you couldn't hold a rifle or shotgun either, so I don't think limb dismemberment will apply to the survivors.
    Edited by 3 at 05/06/09 @ 16:51

  • thenastypasty #19 3 years ago

    I hope they turn Last Stand into a full campaign,that would do me nicely till L4D2 comes out.

  • kangarootoo #20 3 years ago

    "Missing limbs would mean you couldn't hold a rifle or shotgun either, so I don't think limb dismemberment will apply to the survivors."

    Me neither. It was an interesting (if not very much fun) idea though.

  • Derblington #21 3 years ago

    "How about Team Fortress 2? Seems it's been totally abondonned on the 360. "

    That's not Valve's fault, it's MS's. There are rules and regs on Live! for updates/dlc that make it difficult to do everything that dev would like.

  • Spekingur #22 3 years ago

    You know, I highly doubt that it's the same developement team works L4D and Half-Life 2 episodes.

  • penhalion #23 3 years ago

    This item should read as

    "Valve. Seeing a backlash against L4D2. With anyone who has played the first game wondering why it's not just a downloadable add on pack. Decided to divert attention by promising to continue support for L4D1. They failed to realise that they had promised not only new episodes and weapons for L4D1 but, had failed to deliver on both of those promises."

    This is the first time I've felt that Valve are doing a cheap cash-in title. After a few minutes of playing L4D2. You are left feeling that it is exactly the same game as L4D1. The new weapons don't feel any different and the melee weapons are the usual suicide afair. Run at a hoard or the tank with an axe if you want to see what I mean! The Director still cheats like mad and spawns zombies out of thin air in places that you have already cleared out behind you. You still get stupid spawns of smokers and hunters if you split from the group for more than 60 seconds etc. etc.

    A very sad day for gaming when Valve join the quick cash brigade.

  • Salaminizer #24 3 years ago

    Ridiculous damage control.

    I have been changing my opinion by what I consider the "worst part" about L4D2, but I'm almost sure that the worst is definitely the fact that the devs (which I believe are the guys from Turtle Rock with some additional help from Valve) thought it was a great idea to begin L4D2 right after L4D and, having a lot of stuff done (and adding 1 new map and 1 new easily moddable mode at the same time), say it's too much for an update. ORLY?

  • bad09 #25 3 years ago

    I really don't get the problem some have with L4D2. We got a fairly short, but amazingly deep and re-playable MP experience a year ago, even got some free stuff a while back. Now a year later that fairly short, but amazingly deep MP experience is getting a sequel. whats the big deal guys?

    Do we moan about COD or FIFA or the many other game series? Well a few do but most don't! I'll never get the sequel hate some hold, soooo many games out there I WANT SEQUELS for!

  • DarthMorbus #26 3 years ago

    I don't think it's so much sequel hate, rather it's the time scale. L4D2 will be released just 11 months after the first. That's right, the first game won't even be a year old when Valve will be hoping you'll buy the sequel.

    I probably won't be getting it myself, but not because of the quick turn around but because the gameplay didn't gel with me as much as I would have liked it to.

  • StooMonster #27 3 years ago

    I wonder if we are going to see L4D2 in a 'box' along with Half-Life 2 Episode 3 and Portal 2.

  • outy #28 3 years ago

    I guess Valve's HL2 team could learn a little about work ethic from the L4D developers.

  • curtlikesmeat #29 3 years ago

    Played the demo of the first and I didn't really enjoy it much.

    I hope episode 3 is more than one guy sitting in a closet slowly working on it.

  • mizcicz #30 3 years ago

    i hope for 1 or 2 more dlc campaigns for l4d that lead you more into the new orleans area storywise

  • mizcicz #31 3 years ago

    i also wish they would release tf2 on xbl!!!...i played the orange box on pc and would love to download tf2 only!

  • Kremlik Verified Co-Founder, Crash To Desktop #32 3 years ago

    The only true gripe i have with all this is is the L4D update pack on disk - The RRP has shot back up to full price from like £25 to £40 with just a FREE update which isn't hard to get hold of on the 360 - joke is even the packs WITHOUT it have shot up as well.

    Although I do see why it's L4D2 not just an addon, thats too much change in the game itself - I mean changing item locations is a lot different from shifting maps, that can't but just slapped on. I don't see why it's so early in L4D's lifecycle they could have AT LEAST accounced this at L4D's 1st birthday and made more sales off that with a few more addon packs, if only small ones, like TF2.

    Instead they have killed any new sales of L4D because why buy it when theres a 'better' version in L4D2? They've got 5 months of no profit from the game at all

  • bioreit #33 3 years ago

    And notmyrealname completely misses out on the whole point of the game (Left4Dead) by playing it on his lonesome, instead deciding to 'meh' the whole thing...

  • bad09 #34 3 years ago

    absolutely bioreit, I did the same the first time I loaded up L4D though. Started at the SP, thought "meh is that it?". Luckily I still dipped into the MP and was blown away, haven't touched SP since.

    For me it's like the Battlefront games, if you're not gonna play it online just don't bother because that is where it really comes alive.

  • Diabeu #35 3 years ago

    aaaa FUCK OFF!!!!!!! you could do all that in a patch or two

    and what about TF2 update?

    liars

  • Iain815 #36 3 years ago

    Disappointed there was no info on Episode 3.

  • drumbaby #37 3 years ago

    Have Valve got their tongue so far up Msoft's butthole now that they're mirroring the non-existent time between each 'new' console with the time between game 'sequels'?

    Not that they're in their back pocket or anything....

  • sharky_ob #38 3 years ago

    Calm down mate, you might do yourself some damage.