Left 4 Dead demo arriving early next week

By Robert Purchese Published 6 November, 2008

Pre-order and you can play from Thursday.

Valve plans to release PC and Xbox 360 demos of Left 4 Dead on Tuesday 11th November.

Furthermore, anyone pre-ordering the zombie shooter from Steam will be able to play as soon as this Thursday. This Thursday! There's also a 10 per cent discount for those reserving a copy on Steam.

Left 4 Dead is the co-operative shooter that caused quite a stir at the Eurogamer Expo, regularly sporting one of the longest queues of the show.

The idea is to kill hordes of Infected (read: zombies) before they eat you, with the help of three co-op team-mates. That's good enough, but add the opportunity for real people to control the Infected and the formula becomes even more enticing.

Left 4 Dead will be out on PC from Steam on 18th November, and on Xbox 360 from 21st November. There's no PS3 version, in case you're wondering.

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 (52) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Dizzy #1 3 years ago

    /loads shotgun

    Probably my GOTY

  • Slipstream #2 3 years ago

    Nice, any idea if the demo will feature online co-op?

  • systems #3 3 years ago

    It's still daft to pre-order from Steam for us in the UK (even with the 10% off) as it works out at about £32 after tax when you can... gasp... wait a week longer and still get the demo, paying £25 for the game. So is a week's worth of demo worth £7 to you?

    I almost caved, but I'm resisting with the help of Fallout 3 and LBP.

  • DAN.E.B #4 3 years ago

    love the look of this but will wait for the reveiw

  • Ignatius_Cheese #5 3 years ago

    ZOMBIES!!!!111

  • GreasyWeasel #6 3 years ago

    The pre-load of the pc demo has reveled that the demo maps are the Apartment and the Subway of No Mercy. From what I've read it is supposed to have coop survivor play.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/08 @ 09:40

  • dr_faulk #7 3 years ago

    "There's no PS3 version, in case you're wondering.

    z0mG euR0gaYm3r R t3h bi-aSsEd!

  • andywilkie35 #8 3 years ago

    This is gonna be great

  • Darren #9 3 years ago

    I saw some gameplay videos of this and it looks underwhelming visually and not that much fun to play either, granted that is difficult to gauge from just watching something. I was actually surprised because for months I've read of people excitedly looking forward to it and I just wasn't seeing that in those videos. They didn't make me want to pre-order it, put it that way. Good job there's a demo then but to be honest I don't think it's the kind of game I'd enjoy anyway, seems too focused on multiplayer.

  • ZuluHero #10 3 years ago

    um.. this thursday as in TODAY?!

  • penhalion #11 3 years ago

    Left 4 Dead will be out on PC from Steam on 18th November, and on Xbox 360 from 21st November. There's no PS3 version, in case you're wondering.

    So a PS3 version next year sometime then. Just like the "No PS3 version" Orange Box.

  • Negotiator #12 3 years ago

    This and Gears 2 are the last two games i'm buying this year, can't wait for this.

  • ademkermad #13 3 years ago

    thanks for telling us where european 360 gamers can preorder to get the demo early....
    NOT!!!!!!

  • ZuluHero #14 3 years ago

    @ademkermad

    only from STEAM - which was stated in the article ;).

    Early demo pre-orders for 360 are north america only :(


    Edit: here: "Furthermore, anyone pre-ordering the zombie shooter from Steam will be able to play as soon as this Thursday. This Thursday!"
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/08 @ 09:42

  • DugBriderider #15 3 years ago

    @ Darren I don't think people are so excited due to the gamepay videos. It's because Valve have a reputation of creating great gaming experiances. This game appered to be almost finished 6 months ago, they will have playtested it to death.
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/08 @ 09:51

  • Eighthours #16 3 years ago

    Brilliant. Let's just hope that Valve have solved the lag problems they had with TF2 on the 360.

  • asphaltcowboy #17 3 years ago

    Getting this on 360!

  • AhSoul #18 3 years ago

    This and GoW2 are my most anticipated games this year. Can't wait!

  • ZuluHero #19 3 years ago

    can't decide! :o

    Ive always played valve games on my PC, but i have an awful lot of friends with 360s :S...

    I know... 2 copies! ;)
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/08 @ 09:52

  • barchetta #20 3 years ago

    Probably the most valuable demo for 360 for me yet. Still not sure about the zombie treatment in this so the demo could we be a wallet saver.

  • kinky_mong #21 3 years ago

    I saw some gameplay videos of this and it looks underwhelming visually and not that much fun to play either, granted that is difficult to gauge from just watching something. I was actually surprised because for months I've read of people excitedly looking forward to it and I just wasn't seeing that in those videos. They didn't make me want to pre-order it, put it that way. Good job there's a demo then but to be honest I don't think it's the kind of game I'd enjoy anyway, seems too focused on multiplayer.

    Conversely I was looking forward to Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts for months based on the videos I'd seen making it look like the bright visually appealing platformer the 360 has been crying out for. Then I played the demo and was sorely disappointed at how dull the whole experience was. Yesterday's review was the last bit of convincing I needed to cancel my pre-order.

    So as you say you can't gauge how fun a game will be just by watching videos.

  • doriangray #22 3 years ago

    I think they made the wrong choice with fast zombies. It stops the game from being a tactical and scary shooter where you work together with your team mates to defeat the hordes, into a "just spray bullets everywhere" game where having teammates is only of use because you need lots of bullets to stop the zombies running at your face.

  • barchetta #23 3 years ago

    Isn't the 360 early access only available in North America?

    Reading this article, it looks like the demo will only be a short run thing until the game is released commercially too.

  • rudedudejude #24 3 years ago

    Any idea of price?

  • StooMonster #25 3 years ago

    / Pre-load 'Left 4 Dead Demo'

    Grins

  • Xerx3s #26 3 years ago

    "So a PS3 version next year sometime then. Just like the "No PS3 version" Orange Box."

    They never said that there wouldn't be a ps3 version of the OB. They said that it was delayed because of development problems with the ps3 version.

  • Tomo #27 3 years ago

    Ahhh, whether to get the inevitably superior PC version or not :/

    ZOMBRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • magicpocket #28 3 years ago

    I cant wait for this game. I'm so excited about L4D that I feel a bit like Cartman in the Wii episode of Southpark.

  • Rizzle #29 3 years ago

    So, are Valve using the Z-word or not?

  • agparrot #30 3 years ago

    Was great having a crack at this at the expo - if you are harbouring any thoughts about proceeding at a leisurely, resident evil pace, then you can forget it. To all intents and purposes it felt like a slightly faster Timesplitters (1).

    The graphics were certainly serviceable, and where there were brief pauses in the demo areas to collect health and ammo you could see that there had been a fair amount of attention to detail, before being plunged into another wave of incoming high-speed scary zombies, complete with some Giant, even harder to kill zombies and occasionally getting trapped by offscreen long-tentacle zombies which required your team mates to be saved or to save you from them.

    The inclusion of things like the 'zombie honey' or whatever it was called was great - one player gets splatted with some spat liquid, and the whole local horde of zombies comes a-running after him, pretty much ignoring everyone else.

    Pretty twitchy stuff, but satisfying when you manage to introduce the shotgun to the heads of zombies, and the sound of a small band of survivors rattling off pistol, uzi and shotgun ammo sounded like a small war when it got really hectic.

    This is likely to be my November purchase.

  • hiddenranbir #31 3 years ago

    Too bad I'll be in USA for the week between demo and proper release :(

    Get me a little taste of that CHAAAANGE.

  • Hypercube #32 3 years ago

    So how much is it on Steam? At work, can't check :(

  • hiddenranbir #33 3 years ago

    Like, £32 or something.

    Cheaper getting physical. I find that strange!

  • Hypercube #34 3 years ago

    Cheaper on disc? Screw Steam then. I bought the Orange Box on Steam grudgingly, as I much prefer a physical copy, especially if they've done it nicely, with a decent manual n everything.

  • Hypercube #35 3 years ago

    So is the physical copy being released on the 21st? All the usual online retailers have the release date down as 21/11/2008 - is it only Steam purchasers who can get it on the 18th?

  • StooMonster #36 3 years ago

    Yeah direct on Steam is more expensive as they haven't (yet) adjusted for Pound Sterling's huge collapse against the US dollar; from 2:1 down to 1.58:1 today

    If you buy retail it's the same as Steam anyway, but cheaper. I was sad and wanted to get hands on this early, so pre-ordered on Steam anyway. :D

    Pre-load is complete, anyone know what time it will go live today?

  • muscleblade #37 3 years ago

    "This and GoW2 are my most anticipated games this year. Can't wait! "
    +1

  • smoison #38 3 years ago

    It should be live now!!!!

    Can people confirm its currently playable on PC!!!!


    Damn WORK!

  • DugBriderider #39 3 years ago

    What do we want?

    Brains!

    When do we want it?

    BRAINS!!

  • StooMonster #40 3 years ago

    @ smoison

    Left 4 Dead Demo

    Pre-loading is complete

    When the game is officially released, you'll be able to play it immediately.

    "Speak your brain..."? BRAINS!

  • Kill_Crazy #41 3 years ago

    Out end of Feb for PS3.

  • StooMonster #42 3 years ago

    Please wait while Steam verifies game files.

    Validating Left 4 Dead Demo file (1 of 1)

  • StooMonster #43 3 years ago

    Left 4 Dead Demo - Updating

  • TitusCrow #44 3 years ago

    demo at 98% :) been looking forward to this for months!

  • StooMonster #45 3 years ago

    GUI is a bit console like, it also went a bit wrong changing to 2560x1600 resolution (it's obviously still a bit beta) but once into the game it was great.

    Two levels of awesome fun. Boy oh boy this is going to be a great. :D

  • StooMonster #46 3 years ago

    Updating again, real time bug fixing methinks. :)

  • Hypercube #47 3 years ago

    Yeah direct on Steam is more expensive as they haven't (yet) adjusted for Pound Sterling's huge collapse against the US dollar; from 2:1 down to 1.58:1 today

    Hang on, on Steam it says it's $44.99. If I buy it on my bank card, then won't my bank get charged $44.99 and the currency conversion will be done at that moment? If that is the case, then $4.99 works out as £28.41, which is only a coupl eof quid more than the price in the shops, and then I'll be able to play it on the 18th instead of waiting until the shops have it on the 21st (according to their web pages).

    Can anyone point out any flaws in this argument to me? Otherwise I won't be able to stop my urge to buy online!

  • TheMoonRat #48 3 years ago

    You're forgetting the 17.5% VAT they'll stick on after the conversion - taking the price upto £33.38.... nearly a tenner more :)
    Edited by 1 at 06/11/08 @ 18:00

  • Hypercube #49 3 years ago

    You're forgetting the 17.5% VAT they'll stick on after the conversion - taking the price upto £33.38.... nearly a tenner more :)

    Bastards! They'll just spend it on bankers!

  • StooMonster #50 3 years ago

    Yes, the European Union -- lobbied by the UK government, and others -- makes American firms collect VAT from them delivering software over the web to customers in the UK. It's amazing to me that Valve, a US corporation, have to collect VAT and pay it to the various European governments ... for them to spend on the benefits class, or bankers, or war, or whatever.

    Some US companies still aren't complying but it won't be much longer before anything you buy from the US over the internet will have British VAT added at source.

  • Wendelius #51 3 years ago

    I got it on Steam and just completed the demo (single player with AI. Not ready to join strangers on that game).

    Wow. Talk about intense.

    I still think that zombies shouldn't run (see http://ww w.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/nov... ). But this is crazy. They come left, right, centre, up top and from below (seeing them clamber over half collapsed walls to reach you is scary). Your team shoots a passage into the zombies with shouts of "Reloading!" or "Hunter!" to let you know when not to rush into the fray or when you are about to be pounced on by a scary zombie. And when a Boomer barfs on you, all bets are loose. Your sight goes gooey and zombies from all over the place suddenly find you even more appetising.

    I don't play shooters and I'm a scaredy cat. But this has got the mood and the grainy (configurable) look of a zombie B movie down to a tee.

  • StooMonster #52 3 years ago

    After playing the single player game a couple of times, I just tried the co-op online game and have to say that it is brilliant. The dynamics make you work together as a team, much more so than CS or TF2, it's seriously intense and relentless shooting too.

    L4D is the most atmospheric game I've ever played, you can truly believe you are in a zombie apocalypse.

    This might well be Game of the Year.