Valve wants you to stop asking about Left 4 Dead 3
A former Valve writer has warned that the supposed Left 4 Dead 3 leak isn't what it seems, and players shouldn't count on a third game from the developer.
04th Jul 2023 15:33
Images via Valve
Valve wants you to stop asking about Left 4 Dead 3
A former Valve writer has warned that the supposed Left 4 Dead 3 leak isn't what it seems, and players shouldn't count on a third game from the developer.
04th Jul 2023 15:33
Images via Valve
We know Valve has something of a problem with the number three and its aversion to trilogies, with Left 4 Dead 3 being no exception. The zombie co-op has largely been forgotten thanks to Back 4 Blood being a spiritual successor.
Still, there are hopes that Left 4 Dead 3 could rise from the grave. Taking a 'bite' out of the zombie genre in 2008, Left 4 Dead set the stage for the likes of Dead Island and Dying Light. A sequel came out in 2009, and although there were updates going right through to 2020, a third game never materialised.
Former Valve writer debunks Left 4 Dead 3
With rumours of Left 4 Dead 3 doing the rounds in March, some eager beavers thought their undead prayers had been answered. Now, Valve itself might've accidentally cleared up the confusion and confirmed no, Left 4 Dead 3 isn't on the way.
Speaking to the VŌC Podcast, former Valve writer Chet Faliszek said that Left 4 Dead was always a "testbed" for the developer, which explains why there are so many leftover ideas kicking around the series. As well as working on both Left 4 Dead games, Faliszek lent a hand to The Anacrusis, which serves as another L4D spiritual successor.
Although Faliszek left Valve in 2017, he maintains we aren’t getting another Left 4 Dead. "I don't know exactly what you’re talking about but in general, as we were working on Source 2, we often used Left 4 Dead as the 'testbed,'" he said. "So you may see things that came out of there that were really more the testbed than, 'hey, we're making a new Left 4 Dead.'
"With everything at Valve, there's a bunch of stuff happening in the background, things are being tried and whatnot," continued Faliszek. "But Left 4 Dead is a good base to try things on because it's a multiplayer game. So you're gonna exercise that muscle, it’s co-op, you're working together."
Here's why you shouldn't expect a Left 4 Dead 3
Remember, Valve is pretty busy with CS2 right now, and with its release looking delayed, any notion of Left 4 Dead 3 is presumably a way off. Let's also remember that once upon a time, Telltale's The Walking Dead started out life as a supposed Left 4 Dead spin-off.
As Faliszek isn't part of the developer anymore, there's every chance Valve could return to the lauded IP. After all, Left 4 Dead 2 is held as one of the best games of all time. Then again, Faliszek admits that even if Left 4 Dead 3 was going to be made, it wouldn't have been his choice.
In terms of Valve's workload, there are rumours of a Half-Life: Alyx sequel and the mysterious Citadel to continue the series, but none of this is positive for Left 4 Dead. Maybe this is one series that's taken a shotgun to the face for good. It's not like there aren't other zombie games out there.
About The Author
Tom Chapman
Tom is Trending News Editor at GGRecon, with an NCTJ qualification in Broadcast Journalism and over seven years of experience writing about film, gaming, and television. With bylines at IGN, Digital Spy, Den of Geek, and more, Tom’s love of horror means he's well-versed in all things Resident Evil, with aspirations to be the next Chris Redfield.
