Left 4 Dead DLC confirmed for spring

By Oli Welsh Published 6 February, 2009

New multiplayer mode, versus campaigns.

Valve has released details of the first downloadable content pack for its co-op zombie shooter Left 4 Dead - the L4D Survival Pack.

The release will include a new multiplayer mode called Survival and two complete campaigns for the game's versus mode, and be available for both the PC and Xbox 360 versions.

Also in the spring, PC users will get a free-to-download Software Development Kit allowing the mod community to start creating custom campaigns for the game - which, when completed, can be fully integrated with Left 4 Dead's matchmaking system.

All of this will be bundled into a Critic's Choice Edition of the game that will be commercially released at the same time.

No exact release date or pricing details were confirmed, and the nature of Survival mode remains a mystery for now.

"With Half-Life and Counter-Strike, and more recently Team Fortress 2, we've learned that we're no longer making stand-alone games but creating entertainment services," said Valve boss Gabe Newell, warming to one of his favourite themes.

"With Left 4 Dead we're extending that tradition by creating additional gameplay and releasing our internal tools to aspiring developers so they may also create and distribute new Left 4 Dead experiences."

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About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (39) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Colin8703 #1 3 years ago

    Does this mean there will be new scenarios to go through?

  • bad09 #2 3 years ago

    Wicked! I only got this at the weekend, amazingly addictive little shooter and so simple to play. Playing as infected is endless fun!

    Even Mrs bad09 has been enjoying L4D.

  • Colin8703 #3 3 years ago

    My wife plays no games but fucking loves this.

    She cannot get enough.

    I'm with you on the DLC Fabula as there should be more. Hopefully Valve won't let us down.

    Also seems like the Mod scene will be supplying the additional campaign scenarios by the sound of it. I.e pick the best maps and port them to 360 for download.

    Will wait and see though.

  • charliemouse #4 3 years ago

    When do we get a shopping mall please?

  • Ignatius_Cheese #5 3 years ago

    For a first DLC update, this isn't too bad. Bit late following launch, considering half of the DLC is purely enabling two of the existing campaigns for Versus play.

    Would be guessing that any entirely new campaigns/scenarios will follow in Summer/after E3?

    Edit - Oh, and Valve, get off your arses and patch the frickin' 360 version NOW! The exploits/no-second-tank-spawns are growing very tiring and ruining the EG tournament...
    Edited by 1 at 06/02/09 @ 09:24

  • JusticeMoses #6 3 years ago

    If that is all that is going to be included in the dlc I bloody well hope Microsoft don't even think of charging 360 users for it. On the other hand, if Microsoft are going to charge perhaps they'll put pressure on Valve to increase the amount of content?

  • optimusprym8 #7 3 years ago

    the missing two campaigns for versus should be free otherwise they're taking the piss. Don't mind paying a little bit for new stuff that extends the game but not what should have been there already, especially as the title is pretty expensive still for what it is.

    +1 shopping mall campaign
    Edited by 1 at 06/02/09 @ 10:08

  • Katsumoto #8 3 years ago

    It is possible to play the other two as versus right now if you fiddle in the console for a minute or two and they seem to work pretty well regardless. Top fun playing as 4 zombies against an AI team.

    Survivor mode, despite there being no details, sounds ace.

  • SixFootHalfling #9 3 years ago

    "Also in the spring, PC users will get a free-to-download Software Development Kit allowing the mod community to start creating custom campaigns for the game"

    You mean custom maps like these?

    [link url=http://l4dmapdb.wikidot. com/
    ]http://l4dmapdb.wikidot. com/
    [/link]

    Having the official SDK out though will hopefully make them faster to develop, which can only be a good thing.

  • LHH #10 3 years ago

    Knowing Valve, it'll come out the same time as HL2 : Episode 3. Just got to let Gabe finish his donuts.

  • kinky_mong #11 3 years ago

    When do we get a shopping mall please?

    When you buy Dead Rising. I want something a bit more original than a shopping mall please Valve.

    The survival mode sounds like it could be fun and I imagine will be a good way to rack up kills towards Zombie Genocidest.

  • richardiox #12 3 years ago

    Not really much new content then, enabling Versus on two maps that should have had it from day one anyway and a new multiplayer mode...is that it? No new game assets at all? After 5 months? Good old Valve.

  • roz123 #13 3 years ago

    Its not only 2 new maps its got a whole new multiplayer mode.

    what it will be like is anyones guess but i here gametrailers.tv are doing a show on it tonight so maybe that will shed a little light on it

  • Tomo #14 3 years ago

    Hmm. This isn't very good considering it's now down for a spring release. ffs. I'd assumed it was all pretty much done and dusted and just needed releasing. Sigh.

    Doesn't even make it clear whether there are new maps, or what's happening to the existing maps that aren't Versus enabled.

    A new mode sounds promising though - Survival... see how long you can survive various hordes of zombies and special Infected?

  • systems #15 3 years ago

    Is this release going to be "real Spring" (i.e. Easter-ish) or "Valve Spring" (Summer)? So much for a Christmas release which was only delayed because everyone went home from Valve for Christmas. The 360 version doesn't even have the PC update yet does it (just the cheat patch).

    The two campaigns are obviously the missing two from the retail package.

    As for survivor mode, who knows? Whatever it is it has to run from the existing campaign maps so it could be something as interesting as a "constant finale" with moveable barricades etc., or it could be something as dull as playing through the campaign but with only one life allowed.

  • PrivateFloyd #16 3 years ago

    Insta-buy for me irregardless of price.

    Fuckin' love this game!!!

  • Artemus #17 3 years ago

    Disappointing. I was also hoping for a couple of new campaigns. Better not charge on PC either because I won't be buying.

  • agparrot #18 3 years ago

    Have to agree with the muted responses - Valve really could be doing better here, especially in terms of simply fixing the buggy and still exploit-laden 360 version.

    You just start to get that whole Team Fortress 2 sinking feeling, all over again.

    It was the announcement I *wanted* to dance a jig about, but waiting until April for this feature light squib is hardly inspiring the music in me.

  • Wickedbug #19 3 years ago

    It HAS to be FREE on the PC. Valve has been releasin new maps, weapons, game modes and achievments for free in Team Fortress 2 so it wouldn't make any sense to charge PC users for a new game mode and two VS campaigns that should've been playable out of the box.

  • Burton2000 #20 3 years ago

    This update will most probably be free like all of valves other DLC thats been released for their other games. I would be very suprised if you had to pay for it.

  • optimusprym8 #21 3 years ago

    @systems "So much for a Christmas release which was only delayed because everyone went home from Valve for Christmas."

    How fucking dare they have a life!?

  • Ignatius_Cheese #22 3 years ago

    agparrot - "You just start to get that whole Team Fortress 2 sinking feeling, all over again."

    But they did pwwomise to do right by the 360 this time... ;oP

    /cough

  • iter #23 3 years ago

    Why are the campaigns Vs mode only? Are they just enabling the other two existing maps for vs mode? If so, absolute fail. If it is two completely new scenarios, then awesome - but I go back to - why would that be Vs only?

  • roz123 #24 3 years ago

    It will obviously be revamps of the maps already there. Its definatly free on the PC, some guy on the steam forums sent a message to gabe newell and he said it would be free as always. There is no news on price on 360, i think it depends on microsoft.

  • lemonfist #25 3 years ago

    It better be free unless this new Survival mode is totally mind-blowing.

  • TheMoonRat #26 3 years ago

    The developer commentry described why only 2 campaigns were vs mode enabled from the start; they're actually different maps. They may look the same, but, as the flow of vs mode and campaign are completely different, for balance reasons they couldn't use the same map with the same settings with where the hoard spawned etc.

  • iter #27 3 years ago

    @TheMoonRat

    OK, I get that they have to make adjustments, but they do have a pretty good basis to start off with, they aren't the same as 'new maps'. I just don't feel that enabling VS mode on existing maps is all that great. :( I suppose if it is really cheap (e.g. under 400MSP) then fair enough. However, two entirely new maps would be far more desirable and 800MSP would be probably nice for something like that.

    edit - used a less than character - forgot it would be interpreted as a tag!
    Edited by 1 at 06/02/09 @ 12:52

  • Chufty #28 3 years ago

    What do you mean PRICING? As if Valve would dare charge for DLC for a PC game. Although with the state that L4D and its Matchmaker were released in, I wouldn't be suprised.

  • tesco #29 3 years ago

    Getting a little sick of this "I expect the world owes me" attitude from people. Why SHOULD the game have shipped with the other 2 campaigns as versus? We have all had fun with the first 2 and if Valve now gives us newly BALANCED versions of the other 2 for free then they get my vote. I would even pay for the other 2 as it will extend my enjoyment of an already very enjoyable game.
    To be honest there aren't many games that release new content as often as this and I have had just as much fun with them. Try and look on this as a bonus and not something that for some reason you think you deserve. Welcome to the real world kids. Someday mummy wont be around to cater to your every whim.

  • iter #30 3 years ago

    @tesco I don't think people think they are owed anything. Perhaps they are just disappointed that the DLC for this great game doesn't seem to be offering up much extra and really just addressing a glaring omission from the original release. Also, it is highly unlikely that the content will be free on XBL.

  • Dabs #31 3 years ago

    This DLC is free (for the PC, at least). Gabe Newell confirmed it in a an email. So stop whinging.

  • skillian #32 3 years ago

    Welcome to the real world kids. Someday mummy wont be around to cater to your every whim.

    WTF are you talking about? Valve have been around for years and years and have always had a tradition of providing free extra content for pretty much all their games. This is why people are expecting no charge, not because of some unjustified sense of entitlement.

  • Buztafen #33 3 years ago

    And where is the 360 patch? Honestly, it might be a lols valve time etc but the pc versions been patched for fuckin weeks!!

  • tesco #34 3 years ago

    People are "expecting" content (work, time, resources) for free. That's not unreasonable.....
    Its either going to be free anyway which makes me sick that people are complaining about what they will get FOR NOTHING! or it will be a nominal charge that you have a choice whether to pay.
    Regardless of the game why moan about paying for content? if you don't want to then don't. You haven't lost anything, it isn't like they fooled people into buying part of a product and then forced them to buy the rest later.

  • roz123 #35 3 years ago

    lol dont blame valve blame microsoft. They are the ones who are delaying your patch so it can go through pointless tests

  • SomaticSense #36 3 years ago

    Let me guess, it'll be Dead Air and Death Toll as the two extra versus campaigns? With no properly new campaigns?

    For a game that was seriously lacking in content to start with (the AI director excuse doesn't wash, frankly), it's shit.

    @ Dabs

    It may be free on the PC, but what about those of us who haven't got it on PC? We are perfectly entitled to whinge.

  • devilfinder000 #37 3 years ago

    Just watched the video feature on GameTrailers.com and (as predicted) the DLC includes opening up of Dead Air and Death Toll for versus and the new survival mode which has 12 maps and sounds like horde on Gears.

    BTW no footage of the new mode in the GameTrailers spot.

  • Fleisch #38 3 years ago

    I'm pretty sure they're just doing this as a small DLC bundle before releasing new maps and new every-things. Think about it, Gabe has already been talking about how he wants to release stuff free on the 360 but MS will only let them do that through patches and you can only release 3 or so a year. This announcement seems to feature stuff that could be delivered in a patch (unlocking two maps already on the disk with AI routines/spawn points and releasing a new game mode [ai routines and spawn points again].).

    So, I suspect this will be free on the 360 and we'll be seeing a paid DLC with those new special infected that were hinted at by a valve employee a while ago.

    Also, there needs to be a finale in a stadium of some sort where you have to hold the playing field down till rescure arrives, would be awesome!

  • SomaticSense #39 3 years ago

    It's more than just Ai routines and spawn points though. The versus modes of No Mercy and Blood Harcest are slightly different geometrically than the Campaign counterparts, because of the potential for cheap kills on the part of the - now player-controlled - infected. Hence Valve's use of the term "balancing issues" as the reason as to why the other two weren't already there. They'd need to be added in as entirely different maps.

    What you've said is a nice idea. But seeing as it looks like the stuff would be unavailable in a mere patch, and if what you've said is true about MS stating that free content is only available in patches, then we certainly won't be getting it for free.
    Edited by 1 at 10/02/09 @ 18:59