E3 2011

Left 4 Dead 2 due November 17

Tom Magrino
By Tom Magrino

E3 2009: Microsoft press conference offers first look at sequel to Valve and Turtle Rock Studios' survival horror shooter, due this fall.

LOS ANGELES--Last week, Valve offered a brief teaser announcement that it would be party to the 2009 Electronic Entertainment Expo, sparking waves of speculation as to what, exactly, the Half-Life 2 maker would have on hand to show. As part of Microsoft's E3 press conference today, the answer to that question surfaced when the publisher showed the first trailer for Left 4 Dead 2.

According to the brief trailer shown among a litany of other games arriving exclusively for Microsoft's platforms, Left 4 Dead 2 is expected to arrive on the Xbox 360 and PC on November 17. The brief trailer also showed survivors battling hordes zombies on a bridge, featuring the new chainsaw weapon.

As part of the 2009 Game Developers Conference in March, Valve said that the PC and Xbox 360 editions of the Turtle Rock Studios-developed Left 4 Dead have combined to sell more than 2.5 million units at retail worldwide. That number does not include sales through Valve's online distribution platform Steam, a statistic that the publisher traditionally keeps under its hat. However, Valve founder Gabe Newell revealed in February that during a one-weekend-only half-off sale through Steam, Left 4 Dead sales skyrocketed 3,000 percent.

Tom Magrino
By Tom Magrino

Tom Magrino has covered the games industry since 2006. He's been compared to Steve Martin by Ozzy Osbourne and Daniel Craig by Tim Schafer. His voice, heard largely on GameSpot's podcast, recalls that of Kermit the Frog. It ain't easy bein' Magreen.

245 Comments

  • olcraft

    Posted Oct 6, 2009 7:24 am GMT

    I don't understand why people are so frustrated about either not getting updates for the original left 4 dead or release of the left 4 dead 2. Gosh Patches are needed only if the game has flaws in it. If there is no noticeable flaw, then there is no need for the updates. For Left 4 Dead 2, What the hell is wrong about getting it? As long as the left 4 dead 2 is a great game, what's the point in boycotting the game? Either get it or don't get it! Valve is not forcing everybody to buy Left 4 Dead 2 right?

  • kanundrumK

    Posted Sep 9, 2009 7:16 pm GMT

    this better tell you how the whole infection thing started it was an AWSOME game but there was no begining!!!!!

  • rawr215

    Posted Jun 15, 2009 4:43 am GMT

    this is the prequel rite? So it is the begining of the zombie invasion?

  • 8smokes

    Posted Jun 10, 2009 4:36 pm GMT

    I wonder if there is going to be a more in depth story to this one? :/

  • Inconnux

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 1:30 pm GMT

    most people here are console players and don't understand the uproar that PC players feel. Valve basically lied to PC gamers promising that the game would be updated regularly but with this announcement it shows that Valve lied to get more sales of the original and immediately started on the sequel. We expect this kind of lies from EA but from Valve it is a shock. Valve has lost a ton of good will and I personally will be very wary of any products they release from now on.

  • SQUALL20XX Site Greeter

    Posted Jun 9, 2009 12:55 pm GMT

    Left 4 Dead looks great

  • cruelstroke

    Posted Jun 8, 2009 8:28 am GMT

    100 people join the group in every ten minute.

    http://pc.ign.com/articles/992/992283p1.html

  • NiNtEnDo4eVa

    Posted Jun 7, 2009 12:06 pm GMT

    i'm pretty annoyed, the original game wasn't updated at ALL. Totally lame, they should have at least patched SOME content before releasing a sequel. The original game had far to little content, which was okay since i was under the impression that it was going to be updated. But it never did, sad times.

  • SSBFan12

    Posted Jun 6, 2009 7:50 pm GMT

    Left 4 Dead 2 is going to be really awesome just like the first one.

  • asian_pride69

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 9:49 pm GMT

    Would love to play L4D 2. I played some of the first one, and I had a lot of fun. Looking forward to it. Though I'm expecting more from Valve. A new Half-Life perhaps?

  • TheLemonGelati

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 3:55 pm GMT

    -kevin1927z- I had the same reaction, I was doing some work with E3 on TV next to me(not a very productive day), I heard the familiar zombie noises and I was like.. nah it couldn't be, it's too soon. I just hope they don't try to pump a new one out every year and sacrifice the quality, but then again it's Valve so there's nothing to worry about.

  • Fearless07

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 7:35 am GMT

    totally agree dude!it is lfdead 1.4with new stages and new AI but it is not a whole new game experiance! it doesnt matter people are gona buy it like crazy.-:

  • PSFreak1

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 6:50 am GMT

    awesome

  • toadman682000

    Posted Jun 3, 2009 2:23 am GMT

    Its Left 4 Dead 1.5

    Which is awesome.

  • boobush

    Posted Jun 2, 2009 8:46 pm GMT

    Two things: I like it, but they're just trying to cash it in, I mean, this would be nice if it was like a downloadable expansion set. Second, why the chainsaw, it's big, heavy and noisy, why not use a machete which is concealable, light and silent and deadly.

  • ShinZero

    Posted Jun 2, 2009 4:28 pm GMT

    its somewhat entertaining to read how many people complain that the original game was "too short" or things to that effect. Making an uneducated purchase is nobody's fault but your own. That game was never ment to offer an extensive single player campaign and I doubt the sequel will either. For those of us who know what were getting into, this is exciting news.

  • StJimmy15

    Posted Jun 2, 2009 2:51 pm GMT

    sweet. hopefully as good as the game im still playing since release. lol anyone heard anything about the DLC with new weapons/infected promised by Valve in the first place?

  • kevin1927z

    Posted Jun 2, 2009 2:05 pm GMT

    haha. When they started showing the gameplay footage at the conference, I thought it was Dead Rising 2. Then they said it was Left 4 Dead 2 and I was like wow, already?

  • Waza19

    Posted Jun 2, 2009 1:23 pm GMT

    djpetitte i dont know about you but i dont get that much rage quit, in fact most people who rage quit are american, everytime i get only people from canada theres almost no rage quit, and when we get only people from quebec then your sure to get no rage quit at all