Summary
Valve’sLeft 4 Deadfranchise is still fondly remembered by fans of its co-op zombie shooter formula, but that hasn’t made a third game in the series any more likely. A developer known for its lack of third entries in all of its major IPs, Valve’s treatment ofLeft 4 Deadhas been no different. As continued attempts at recapturing the magic of those original games by other studios have come and gone, however, fans have become increasingly reminded of the void left by the lack of a newLeft 4 Dead.
The original duology may have been released 15 years ago, but support still hasn’t even managed to stop. Valve released anupdate forLeft 4 Dead 2in August of this year, an extremely uncommon occurrence for a game of its age. Fan-made campaigns have also become officially added into the game over the years, showing that at least some part of Valve hasn’t forgotten about it. The multiple titles occupying a similar niche released over the years all seem to have fallen short in some way, something that makes Valve’s long-term support even rarer.
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Over a decade after the release ofLeft 4 Dead 2, new games in the same space still struggle to remain relevant. Turtle Rock Studios’Back 4 Bloodwas intended as a spiritual successor made with the help of developers who worked on the originalLeft 4 Dead, whichB4Bended up comparing unfavorably to in the eyes of many. With a player count still currently averaging in the tens of thousands,Left 4 Dead 2clearly tapped into something that’s hard to replicate all the way back in 2009.
Several titles have unsuccessfully attempted to tap into the co-op zombie shooter vibe, but there are still some promising spins of the formula. Games likeDeep Rock Galacticand bothWarhammer: Vermintide 2andWarhammer 40,000: Darktidehave maintained player counts in a way that doesn’t seem to be slowing down, but these titles also delve deeper into their own respective styles. TheWarhammerreleases have a clearer focus on melee in combat, whileDeep Rock Galactic’s mining-centric premise is a far cry from the bleakness of Valve’s scenarios. These games may operate with the same DNA, but the new ideas they bring call the need for a newLeft 4 Deadinto question.
A third entry would be a dream on paper to most fans, but the quality of the previousLeft 4 Deadgames puts it in a strange position. Like any new Valve title,Left 4 Dead 3would be expected to be an innovative push forward, something that has only become harder over time.Left 4 Dead 2is still praised for the quality of its AI and dismemberment physics to this day, and a sequel would need to come with features that are just as impressive in current times. The charm of the originals could have truly been a product of that era at Valve, an appeal that can’t simply be replicated by with any amount of resources.
Even if the company known for holding out onHalf-Life3does end up breaking its infamous streak of not releasing third entries, there’s still no guarantee thatLeft 4 Dead 3will end up being what fans expect. With the past decade’s releases being mostly composed of what were essentially high-quality tech demos for Valve’s experimental hardware, it’s clear where the focus has shifted. The days of fighting the Infected may never be over for players, but they could be behind the studio.
