Left 4 Dead is live on Steam

November 18, 2008 - L4D Team

As of midnight EST, the PC version of Left 4 Dead, Valve's zombie thriller, is now available via Steam to gamers around the globe. The title will be available for the PC and Xbox 360 at retail stores on Tuesday, November 18 in North America, and worldwide on Friday, November 21. For more information, please visit www.steamgames.com.

Update, 5:24 pm

November 17, 2008 - L4D Team

Good news on the Valve Launch Box test run! There was an electrical fire, and all the bees burned to death. The bad news: several employees also perished in the fire and the game will be delayed.

Just kidding! About the game. There were some burning deaths. But the game's coming out!

We've said too much. Who wants to see our second TV commercial?

The End is Near...

November 17, 2008 - L4D Team

Less than four hours to go until Left 4 Dead goes live at the stroke of midnight (EST) on Steam, and that means the Valve Launch Box will be dragged out of its off-season home in Gabe Newell's tool shed.



What does the Launch Box do? When its keys and levers are turned and pulled in sequence, it emits clouds of dry ice, fires off klaxon noises, and finally, when you press the red button, releases games. And, because it's kept in Gabe Newell's tool shed and nobody ever bothers to check it for bee hives, bees. (If there's one thing that makes those things angrier than klaxon noises, it's dry ice!)

Like the release of the Orange Box this past October, the entire staff will be here tonight to celebrate. Unlike with the Orange Box release, we're hoping, the entire staff will not be attacked by as many bees.

Downloadable L4D Desktop Wallpaper

November 14, 2008 - L4D Team

We were going to title this post "Infect Your Desktop!" until someone remembered what a bad idea it is to put those words together in conjunction with free downloads. Our back-up title, "Put These Pictures on Your Computer," wasn't nearly as clever, so we'll just quit while we're ahead and let you download the wallpaper.

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Download the Left 4 Dead Demo!

November 11, 2008 - L4D Team

Left 4 Dead is finally here! Well, almost, anyway. The full game won’t be available for another week (November 18 on Steam and in retail stores across America). But you can get a taste of the blood-splattering, zombie-killing fun right now!

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L4D Art Direction, Part 1: Filmic Effects

November 10, 2008 - Randy Lundeen

One of the goals of Left 4 Dead's art direction was to capture the tone and feel of being right in the middle of a horror movie. This meant making the environments look scary in a specifically cinematic way.

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Left 4 Dead Intro Movie

October 31, 2008 - L4D Team

Less than a week from today, everyone who pre-ordered will be playing the Left 4 Dead demo. We know! We can't believe it either. To make the wait easier, we've released the five minute movie that opens the game. Caution: The movie may actually make the wait harder. Anyway, happy Halloween.

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It's the Zombie Ad-pocalypse.

October 30, 2008 - L4D Team

As part of our ongoing marketing campaign, we're airing a pair of commercials on network and cable television, including ABC, FOX, Spike, ESPN, MTV, Comedy Central, CBC and more. Created with footage from Left 4 Dead's opening sequence, the commercial goes live on television November 8th. But you can watch it online now!
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Dude, Where's My Thumb?

October 28, 2008 - L4D Team

Want to win a free copy of Left 4 Dead? How about a new gaming PC? All it takes is a snapshot of you in front of a Left 4 Dead billboard, bus, Jumbotron or other piece of outdoor advertising. So fire up your Leica and get over to the official contest page.
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Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!

October 25, 2008 - L4D Team

Hot off of solving the global credit crisis, world leaders have turned to more important matters. They have declared this Sunday October 26th, World Zombie Day. What better way to celebrate World Zombie Day than dress up like a zombie and shamble around?
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A Contest so Easy, Even a Zombie Could Win.

October 18, 2008 - L4D Team

The guys over at Left4Dead411.com just launched a new contest today with the grand prize being four copies of Left 4 Dead. The contest is all about getting your picture taken in front of a horde of zombies.

Where can you find a horde before November 18th? Left4Dead411 has plenty of tips. Just please remember to respect the native zombies, they get hungry for brains if you anger them.
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The Left 4 Dead Pre-Purchase Infection is Now On!

October 15, 2008 - L4D Team

Left 4 Dead is now available for pre-purchase worldwide via Steam! As with our pre-purchase promotions for retail PC and Xbox 360, customers who pre-purchase Left 4 Dead via Steam will save 10% off the regular price. Left 4 Dead will be released at retail on PC and Xbox 360 on November 18 in North America and November 21 in Europe. The worldwide Steam release will be November 18.
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Left 4 Dead Spreads Around the World

October 10, 2008 - L4D Team

In Germany, lucky members of the press were able to play co-op with Gabe Newell at the Leipzig Games Convention, while Torsten Zabka manned the L4D tour bus outside.
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Legoland of the Dead

October 3, 2008 - Erik Wolpaw

This weekend, expert Lego Builders from all over the world will convene in the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall for BrickCon 2008.
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First post - Welcome to the L4D blog

September 30, 2008 - Mike Booth

Since we announced Left 4 Dead in late 2006, the growing online community has been a great source of feedback and support during the development process. We're planning on using this blog to talk more directly with that community - through stories, artwork, and insights into our design and development process.
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