Left 4 Dead 2
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Left 4 Dead 2 Achievements confirm final campaigns, detail new features [update]
The Achievement aficionados over at Xbox360Achievments.org have uncovered the Xbox 360 Achievements for Left 4 Dead 2. The Achievements offer some insane challenges -- "Survive a campaign on Expert skill with Realism mode enabled" -- and, if accurate, also confirm the recently uncovered "Dead Center" and "Hard Rain" campaigns. The Achievements also detail some new features and confirm other rumored features, most notably a defibrillator which can be used to revive teammates. Also mentioned is an adrenaline power-up to boost speed, deployable ammo upgrades and ... a bile bomb. We really hope that last one does what we think it does. Head over to X360A for the full list (warning: watch for spoilers ... and Tanks).Update: A Valve representative has confirmed the veracity of the two posters as official, saying simply, "They're legit."
'Dead Center' and 'Hard Rain' are final Left 4 Dead 2 campaigns [Update: They're real!]
Update: A Valve representative has confirmed the veracity of the two posters as official, saying simply, "They're legit."Original: It is with much necessary reservation that we bring you the two purported Left 4 Dead 2 campaign posters for "Dead Center" and "Hard Rain" that you see above, completing the set of five campaign missions. Found over on Taiwanese website GNN, we're highly skeptical of their veracity for the time being, but felt their quality at least bared mention -- if this isn't real thing, it's damn impressive. Being Danny Doubters though, we're still a bit thrown by consistency differences when compared to the game's other three posters. We've sent a note to Valve for comment, so until we hear back, the images will remain strictly in our "unconfirmed" pile. In the meantime, ponder this: "Dead Center" translated by Google from Mandarin Chinese is "Death Marketplace." Fact![Thanks Lockwolf!]%Gallery-75297%
Left 4 Dead 2 twofer: 'Edited version' approved for Australia; 'Realism mode' revealed
We're going to break this post down into three distinct (and clichéd!) categories: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. First, the Good: The suddenly puritanical Australian government -- by way of The Office of Film and Literature Classification -- has seen fit to grant the previously unclassified Left 4 Dead 2 an MA 15+ rating, paving the way for millions of impressionable minds to be programmed into zombie-killing machines. Next, the Bad: The version of Left 4 Dead 2 that the OFLC approved was an "edited version" that "no longer contains depictions of decapitation, dismemberment, wound detail or piles of dead bodies lying about the environment." In other words, it's nothing like the real zombie apocalypse. And when the inevitable human-vs-zombie war reaches Australia's isolated shores, her people will be ill prepared for what they encounter. "Gross, these zombie corpses don't disappear when you kill them! And, what's this? Blood?" Valve and publisher EA are still hoping to launch an unmodified version, pending the October 22 review by the OFLC board. Lastly, the Ugly: 1UP noticed a "special modifier" in its Scavenge Mode demo last night: "Realism mode." Valve's Doug Lombardi explained that it was for the serious player: "Take Portal for example: We had our best internal players who could blow through that game in about 30 minutes, but within weeks of launching it we had people on YouTube beating [the testers'] times by 10 minutes or more. Realism is for those players." In other words, it's training for the real zombie apocalypse. If our imagination is any indication, expect Realism mode to feature plenty of realistic pants crapping. %Gallery-75034% Source – "Left 4 Dead 2 Secures Australian Release" [Edge Online] Source – Realism mode detailed [1UP]
Left 4 Dead 2's new 'Scavenge' multiplayer mode revealed
click to Boomer-size Valve took the wraps off Left 4 Dead 2's brand-new competitive multiplayer game type, "Scavenge," at a press event in San Francisco this evening. According to the developer, this mode is built purely for "quick, more frantic gameplay." (Yes, L4D actually can be more frantic).Scavenge has the four survivor characters scrambling to collect gas cans from various spots in a confined location -- in this case a motel, pictured -- in order to fuel up a generator before a two-minute timer expires. There are 16 cans total and 20 seconds are added to the clock for each one that's successfully retrieved. Four other players, controlling Special Infected, must do their best to stop the cans from reaching the goal. The two new Special Infected, Spitters and Jockeys, really excel in this mode. The former can set dropped cans on fire, while the latter can leap onto the shoulders of a survivor, "steering" them away from their goal.These best two-out-of-three matches are broken up into three rounds, during the "half time" of which players switch sides. Valve confirmed that each of L4D2's campaigns has a unique Scavenge map, for a total of six shipping with the game on November 17.%Gallery-75034%
Left 4 Dead 2 trying 2 approaches 4 sales in Australia
Valve is working two angles to get Left 4 Dead 2 on Australian consoles and PCs, following the Aussie ratings board's refusal to classify the zombie shooter. One version of L4D2 making its way through the OFLC is an "Australia specific" (i.e. edited) take on the game, while the other is the gore-lovin' original, which Valve currently has on appeal. Gamespot spoke with Valve's Gabe Newell, who explained that the next step for the unedited version won't occur until October 22, which means the timing gets tight in terms of manufacturing and other hurdles before a November 17 launch. Valve project manager Erik Johnson finds the OFLC's issues with the sequel to be "inconsistent" because of Left 4 Dead's unedited release in the region. We wish Valve (and the gamers of Australia) all the best in working out those Michael Atkinson issues. Source -- Valve to resubmit two versions L4D2 (Gamespot) Source -- Newell discusses ban on video (Gamespot) %Gallery-64704%
Valve planning $25 million ad campaign for Left 4 Dead 2
We've got bad news for boycotters out there, you're going to be seeing a lot of Left 4 Dead 2 in the coming months. Developer Valve is preparing a massive advertising push for the game, planning to spend $25 million on the campaign, a significant increase over the $10 million spent on the original Left 4 Dead. According to Valve boss man Gabe Newell, the sequel has "consistently run at 300% of Left 4 Dead's numbers," with Doug Lombardi noting that the game is already the most pre-ordered title in the company's history. US zombie killers can expect to see ads during Monday Night Football and UFC bouts and also plastered on billboards, magazines and websites. European undead slayers will also bear witness to televised ads "during sports and lifestyle programming," some online marketing and traditional print and outdoor ads too. Joystiq & Sons Advertising would like to offer the following marketing proposal to Valve: Door-to-door Zombie-grams. It's a lot like a candy-gram, except the delivery zombie eats the customer's brains.
TGS 2009: The Recap Post
Last week, the Tokyo Game Show brought in over 100 posts worth of news, previews, interviews, galleries, and videos. Clearly, a lot happened. If you're looking for a comprehensive list of all the goings-on during TGS 2009, Joystiq has you covered -- and organized! Click on a platform below to scan the highlights: (On the far right: that's "News" and "Culture" on the top and bottom, respectively)
Go batty with the Left 4 Dead 2 pre-order bonus
Valve is offering a number of enticing pre-order offers for their upcoming zombicidal action title, Left 4 Dead 2. For the impatient among us, dropping a reservation on the game garners early access to the demo (which is set to drop October 27). For the thrifty among us, pre-ordering the game through Steam (or other participating digital distributors), knocks 10 percent off the total price of the game. However, for the truly patriotic among us, Valve is offering a singularly thrilling bonus: An in-game "American baseball bat." We've contacted Valve to find out exactly what this means -- is pre-ordering the game really the only way to get our hands on this implement of the Great American Pastime? Or is it just a special "American" skin for the bat, which was previously confirmed to be one of the title's brand new melee weapons? We hope it's the latter, if only so we can sing "Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue" during our undead massacres.
Newell pays way to Australia, donations go to Child's Play
Despite the internet's best efforts to pay Valve prez Gabe Newell's way to Australia, the man simply won't take it. Posting on Fly Gabe Newell, the now infamous Australian Left 4 Dead modder "Joe W-A" says that not only are Newell and Valve project manager Erik Johnson heading down under next week, but they've paid their own way. "All the money accumulated will be going to the Child's Play charity," which Joe W-A tells Joystiq totals $3,099.54 from 233 donations. Said Valve's Newell in an official statement, "The power of the gaming community and their ability to rally around a cause -- be it serious or fun in nature -- is amazing." And Newell's no stranger to both sides of it, having recently invited the creators of a Left 4 Dead 2 boycott to visit Valve's studios, sparking the joke email thread between Newell and Joe W-A that eventually resulted in the trip to Australia.We'll have more on the visit next week; hopefully including a promised video from the Australian modder hosting Newell.
Australian attorney general refuses to support 18+ game rating
Australia has a long, sordid history when it comes to banning the sale of mature games. Titles which exceed the limits of the Office of Film and Literature Classification's MA15+ rating are refused classification, preventing them from being sold in the Land Down Under. Following such a ban on Valve's Left 4 Dead 2, the introduction of an R18+ rating has been feverishly debated by the nation's officials -- however, a South Australian attorney general named Michael Atkinson is holding up the proceedings by vehemently opposing the adoption of the mature rating. Atkinson told Australian news outlet News.com.au that he's uncomfortable with the interactive nature of the medium. "People are participating and 'acting-out' violence and criminal behaviour when they are playing a video game," he explained, later adding, "it certainly does restrict choice to a small degree, but that is the price of keeping this material from children and vulnerable adults. In my view, the small sacrifice is worth it." Rarely can governmental actions be attributed to just one person, but the OFLC's refusal to rate mature titles is a direct result of Atkinson's opposition. Remember, this is the same guy who tried to censor a public document which canvassed Australians on the issue in an attempt to better advise the nation's ratings officials. He censored the study on censorship. Consider our mind truly boggled. [Via GamesIndustry]
L4D2 rated in other violence sensitive regions, Valve appeals Aussie ban
In the wake of its Australian "banning," Valve has seen fit to send out an update of Left 4 Dead 2's ratings across this zombie smorgasbord we call a planet. We knew that Valve was "bummed" about the ban, but the letter that the company sent out could be interpreted as it saying, "Hey, wait up, places like Germany and Japan gave us '18+' ratings ... and you know how sensitive they are about violence." Valve is still awaiting a rating in the UK (BBFC) and New Zealand, and submitted its appeal regarding Left 4 Dead 2's non-classified status in the land down under on September 23. With any luck, Aussies will be able to play the game -- with some edits, perhaps -- when the zombie sequel launches November 17. %Gallery-64704%
Left 4 Dead 2 demo running straight for Xbox/PC on October 27
Speaking about upcoming co-op zombie shooter Left 4 Dead 2 at EA's Tokyo press conference today, Valve's Kim Swift announced intentions to release a demo on October 27. Though no platforms were explicitly mentioned, we're betting pre-orders on both Xbox 360 and PC platforms will be getting first dibs, as Valve has already stated. From what we understand, the demo will feature multiplayer, though we're not sure to what capacity this will extend. Either way, Xbox 360 and PC owners will get a chance to try out at least some of the 10 melee weapons well before the game's November 17 release. We'll ask EA for more details on the demo as the Tokyo Game Show continues this week.%Gallery-64704%
Halo 3: ODST buyers surveyed about their next purchases
Halo fans are strange, otherworldly creatures whose behaviors are difficult to analyze. A consulting firm named OTX recently tried to tap into this demographic's collective hivemind the only way it knew how -- by asking Halo 3: ODST purchasers what title they'll likely pick up next. The firm found that the average Bungie buyer plans to acquire a total of three games within the next few months, with Modern Warfare 2, Assassins Creed 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 being the most desired titles. We're not sure if that means this group enjoys blockbusters, or if they're addicted to games with numerical suffixes. Though the list of top 20 games charted in this manner is primarily composed of Xbox 360 titles, God of War III was also a popular response; with 18 percent of participants claiming it to be their next purchase. We're beginning to see a pattern develop. A manly, manly pattern.
Valve is 'bummed' by Australia's Left 4 Dead 2 ban
It seems Australian zombie enthusiasts aren't alone in their dismay over the OFLC's recent ban on the sale of Left 4 Dead 2 in the Land Down Under -- Valve's Doug Lombardi recently told Shacknews that the ban came as quite a surprise for the developer as well. "Obviously, everyone at Valve is pretty bummed," Lombardi explained, as a grief-wracked Gabe Newell wept openly into his shoulder. It's a real shame that the OFLC added L4D2 to its expansive list of titles prohibited from being sold in Australia -- not only because Aussies will be robbed of one of the most promising multiplayer titles of 2009, but because it effectively invalidates the two parties' pre-existing peacemaking efforts. %Gallery-64704%
Australia's turn to 'boycott' Left 4 Dead 2
Gabe Newell may be going to Australia, but his latest game, Left 4 Dead 2, is not. The Australian government has refused classification to the upcoming zombie shooter's "realistic, frenetic and unrelenting violence." Because the Australian ratings system doesn't offer an 18+ rating for games, Left 4 Dead 2 joins the growing list of games banned by the government.While Valve is unlikely to look upon this decision favorably, it can turn this ban into a marketing bullet point. The first game received a MA15 rating, meaning Left 4 Dead 2 must have a totally noticeable and sequel-worthy increase in violence. Doesn't that warrant another $60 purchase (for those of you outside Australia)?[Thanks, Jake and Dai!]
Interview: Left 4 Dead 2's Chet Faliszek
During PAX 2009, we stopped by Valve's booth to chat with Chet Faliszek, one of the leading minds behind Left 4 Dead 2. Read on for insight into the differences between Left 4 Dead and its upcoming sequel, the possibility of user-created levels on Xbox 360 and just what's possible with the L4D2 editing tools: So, you guys have talked about fleshing out the story in Left 4 Dead 2 a bit more, and having a more involved plot. How do you do that with a game like this? I think that's one of those "I'm just going to ask you to wait and see." Some of it is simply ... Left 4 Dead 1's world was at the same stage every place you went. The infection had been there for a little bit. This time we're seeing what it's like to be in a city before the infection hits. And you see different people's reaction to that, as you cross around the country, and there's some other bits we tie in with the original Left 4 Dead in Left 4 Dead 2 as well.
Dude actually collects $3,000 to fly Gabe Newell to Australia
OK, internet, we officially don't get it. You piss and moan about being nickel-and-dimed to death on every piece of downloadable unicorn armor, but then you'll rally around a dude in Australia and raise 3,000 bucks for him to fly Valve's Gabe Newell and Erik Johnson out to see his Left 4 Dead campaign that they jokingly claimed to be boycotting. All in the span of three days? Seriously? We're starting to think the industry should be milking you for as much of your money as it can simply because you cannot, apparently, be trusted with it.
More Left 4 Dead DLC after 'Crash Course,' says boycotter
When Left 4 Dead 2 boycott co-leader Walking_Target visited Wonka's chocolate factory Valve Software recently, he saw the most fantastical things. Though he can't go into too much detail per a verbal agreement with Valve, the lucky gent drew upon his inner Keighley to deliver a few scant details about "more DLC for Left 4 Dead coming after Crash Course" on his blog.According to Walking_Target, the upcoming content could be "a new special infected, a new campaign, or new weapon(s)." Considering the fact that the Crash Course DLC lands this month, and Left 4 Dead 2 shambles into stores on November 17, that leaves one empty month in between for this mystery content -- that is, unless Valve plans on releasing it after L4D2. This would of course put us in a compromising position: Buy Left 4 Dead 2 and potentially miss out on the original game's DLC, or download the first game's DLC and maybe permanently delay a purchase of the sequel? We've contacted Valve for more details to help us (and you!) solve this particularly problematic predicament.%Gallery-22771%[Via Shacknews]
Tired of boycotts? Donate money and fly Gabe Newell to Australia! [update]
Update: A Valve representative got in touch with us and confirmed both the legitimacy of Newell's conversation with "Joe W-A" and that he would fly to Australia should the money be raised. Looks like this thing just got really real!Valve's Gabe Newell has been getting all kissy-face with the Left 4 Dead 2 boycott leaders recently, and one man is (jokingly) mad as hell about it. Enter Brisbane, Australia resident "Joe W-A," entrepreneurial Left 4 Dead campaign modder and buddy of Gabe Newell, who recently started a (presumably) tongue-in-cheek blog to collect donations based on an email exchange with the Valve Software head. "Joe W-A": Why the hell haven't I been flown to Valve? I mean, you guys need to preview my campaign."Newell: We are boycotting your campaign."Joe W-A": Does that mean I have to fly you here?Newell: Me and Erik [Johnson, Valve project manager].And just like that, donations started piling in. Though we've contacted "Joe W-A" for more accurate numbers, our calculations put the dollar amount just over $700 as of this morning. He assures readers that if Newell and Johnson do in fact back out from visiting, he'll refund as much as possible and donate anything left to Penny Arcade's Child's Play charity. We know it's selfish, but the YouTube video that "Joe -W-A" promises to create of the visit has us hoping that Newell and Johnson will go through with it. We've asked Gabe Newell for comment and will update this post when we hear back.[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]
Left 4 Dead 2 boycotters flown to Valve; boycotters boycot original boycotters
The two Steam users (Walking_Target and Agent of Chaos) who kick-started a Left 4 Dead 2 boycott, soon after the game was announced at E3 2009, were recently invited to Valve's offices to play the game and interview members of its development team. While both users (pictured above invading Valve boss Gabe Newell's personal space) vow to continue boycotting the upcoming title, they reported Left 4 Dead 2 "seemed balanced and 'tight' and did not feel like a rushed job." Ironically, since visiting Valve's office the two boycott leaders have been forced to defend themselves against accusations of "corruption," a position not too removed from the one Valve now occupies in relation to the boycott. Some Steam users have asked the pair to relinquish admin duties of the boycott group, but the Valve visitors maintain the effort has progressed "well beyond what most people thought we'd get done." The Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott group on Steam currently has over 40,000 members and requests (demands?) that Valve offer the sequel as either a free update or as a discounted expansion pack to owners of the original Left 4 Dead. [Via Shacknews. Image credit: L4D2 Boycott Group]
