Jeez, people. They call this “E3 Day Zero” for a reason, you know. Nothing’s supposed to happen. Half the exhibitors are still setting up. And instead we get Valve announcing Left 4 Dead 2, to ship scarcely a year after the first? We get Remedy’s promise that Alan Wake is really really real, and will see a 2010 release? We get Microsoft’s Minority Report-inspired Natal Project, allowing us to poke our fingers at the air and watch our 360s perform like trained monkeys?
Stop the madness! 
I will of course buy whatever Valve puts out from now until my death on July 19, 2043 (deathclock.com), but I feel slightly miffed about this quick release. It smells of greed, which seems unlike Valve because they already have more money than George Lucas, Bill Gates, and God combined.
They just better ship it with more than four maps this time. Better yet, they should release 4 more maps for L4D within one or two weeks to take the sting out out of this one.
Yeah, Valve’s got me for life too… luckily it’s a short one; I’m scheduled to check out on Tuesday, December 24, 2024.
Of course, just because it’s a “full game” doesn’t mean Valve will demand $50 for it. Their recent experiments with sale prices using Steam may convince them that selling L4D2 at, say, $15.99 rather than $59.99 might be a wise course of action – especially since I think we can all agree that this stinks of avarice, releasing a for-pay sequel so close to the release of the original, when simply calling it an expansion pack and charging a small price for it wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows at all.
As usual, everyone in the community including myself is jabbering on and on with practically no information. I seriously doubt they would bother making a sequel if their intent was to sell it for less than 50 bucks, though they will probably have a prepurchase sale and some other random sale.
They must have anticipated some backlash–the community’s ticked that they were promised (or perhaps just assumed) that some hefty DLC was forthcoming in the form of additional maps and weapons. Because of the time, energy, and expense in producing a full sequel, most L4Ders will assume these improvements will at best occur much later than originally anticipated, or worse, not at all.
We shall see.
PS Steerpike–Nice Avatar. Go Wings!
That’s the thing, though. Define “full sequel.”
It doesn’t mean what it used to mean. I’ve played $50 sequels that offered 5 hours of play and no innovations beyond their predecessor; I’ve played 45 hour expansions that dramatically changed everything. No one should get hung up on the word sequel.
Valve is reinventing how games can be retailed with Steam, and maybe this is another chance for them to experiment. I for one would be VERY disappointed with the company if they charge “full price” (another concept that’s changing fast) for this game. Released scant months after the original, it’s obviously equal parts stuff they couldn’t get into the original release in time and stuff that’s grist for an expansion. If they’re smart, they’ll call it Left 4 Dead 2 so they can make a technical break from the original (i.e., not have to integrate the newer Director and other features into the old version), but treat it like an iterative change.
Gamers are coming to expect stuff from Valve for free, though, and up til now the model has worked for both sides. Of course, Valve was never under any obligation to release those TF2 and L4D updates for free; maybe they’re testing the waters to see what happens if they change the model.
I’m with you guys. Love Valve, love L4D and yet am surprised that they’d go and announce a full fledged 50 dollar sequel so early. Especially since the original has so much potential as a platform… Then again, they have probably crunched some numbers, decided it’s the crisis year and said what the hell, let’s try and make some cash the old fashioned way – by selling stuff to people. Franchise recognition and all that jazz. The one thing that does bug me though is that we are STILL waiting for that damned Half-Life 2 Episode 3 to drop. The wait is now absurd!!!
Yes, Steerpike, many gamers are acting as if the are entitled to loads of free upgrades and DLC. They are most certainly spoiled little brats screaming for a third helping of chocolate ice cream.
Still, although I love Valve for putting out regular TF2 updates, they really need some more maps for L4D. Survivor mode just doesn’t cut it. Yes, given a choice, I’d rather have four rigorously playtested maps than eight half-ass ones, but come on already.
After reading the IGN hands-on of Left 4 Dead 2, I am actually pretty psyched!! It sounds liek the changes to the game are actualymeaningful enough to make a proper sequel. See for yourself: pc.ign.com/articles/988/988161p1.html
Thanks for the link, Meho!
Wow. It sounds amazing. The new weapons and maps are great, but I’m most excited about how they have developed new crescendo moments and special zombies around complicating established player strategies from L4D1. No more closet camping!
Awesome. Like I said, I buy! I buy!
I like closet camping. Closets are warm, cozy and make me feel safe. Like back in the womb.
While I would love to see some more L4D 1 DLC, I certainly don’t feel like I’ve been cheated. I’ve played L4D more than pretty much any other game since Civ IV was released almost 4 years ago. I’ve more than gotten my money’s worth on it.
I am looking forward to the sequel. And the chainsaw.
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