Left 4 Dead: Difference between revisions

The concept of ''Left 4 Dead'' had its origins in a [[mod (video game)|modification]] created by [[Turtle Rock Studios]] for ''[[Counter-Strike: Condition Zero]]'', which they were co-developing with [[Valve Corporation|Valve]]. This mod, named "Terror Strike", saw four players assigned as the terrorists with the goal to plant a bomb and then defend it from unending waves of counter-terrorists. Turtle Rock also were co-developers of ''[[Counter-Strike: Source]]'', in which they refined the mod, refining the assets to make it more horror themed and having the players fight off zombies. Turtle Rock had attempted to get Valve to publish "Terror Strike" as its own game, but did not gain any traction until Valve writer [[Chet Faliszek]] discovered the project and championed it to Valve's CEO, [[Gabe Newell]].<ref name="kotaku terror strike">{{cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/pc-gaming-steam-valve-counter-strike-left-4-dead-l4d-1849966662 | title = A Fully Playable Left 4 Dead Prototype Has Been Discovered 15 Years Later | first = Sisi | last = Jiang | date = January 9, 2023 | accessdate = November 24, 2023 | work = [[Kotaku]] }}</ref> Both versions of "Terror Strike" for ''Condition Zero'' and ''Source'' eventually were released to the Internet in 2023.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/valve-accidentally-leaks-the-earliest-left4dead-prototype-and-it-was-a-counter-strike-mod-all-along/ | title = Valve 'accidentally' leaks the earliest Left4Dead prototype, and it was a Counter-Strike mod all along | first = Rick | last = Lane | date = November 24, 2023 | accessdate = November 24, 2023 | work = [[PC Gamer]] }}</ref>

With Valve's approval, development on ''Left 4 Dead'' started in mid-2005.,<ref name="play.tm_gabe_interview">{{cite web |last=Guttridge |first=Luke |title=Valve Software's Doug Lombardi interview |url=http://play.tm/interview/17853/valve-software-s-doug-lombardi/ |publisher=Play.tm |date=May 1, 2008 |access-date=August 20, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504134551/http://www.play.tm/interview/17853/valve-software-s-doug-lombardi/ |archive-date=May 4, 2012 }}</ref> and grew significantly larger after Faliszek became lead of the project from Valve's side, bringing in over 100 Valve employees to help expand production.<ref name="kotaku terror strike"/> Turtle Rock aimed to create a horror film-inspired game that merges single player games' character-driven narrative structure with multiplayer games' social interaction and high [[replay value|replayability]].<ref name="making_of_e3_video" /> The game was first revealed in the Christmas 2006 publication of ''[[PC Gamer UK]]'' with a six-page article describing a playthrough at Turtle Rock Studios headquarters. A [[teaser trailer|teaser]] was released with ''[[The Orange Box]]''. The game was first playable at the Showdown 2007 LAN in [[San Jose, California|San Jose]] and at [[QuakeCon 2007]]. Turtle Rock Studios announced ''Left 4 Dead'' on November 20, 2006,<ref>{{cite web |title=Turtle Rock and Valve Announce Left 4 Dead |url=http://www.shacknews.com/docs/press/112006_left4dead.x |publisher=[[Shacknews]] |date=November 20, 2006 |access-date=October 25, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071006200800/http://www.shacknews.com/docs/press/112006_left4dead.x |archive-date=October 6, 2007 }}</ref> and was acquired by [[Valve Corporation|Valve]] on January 10, 2008, because of the game and long-standing relationship between the companies.<ref name="Valve 2008-01-10">{{cite web |title=Valve Acquires Turtle Rock Studios |url=http://store.steampowered.com/news/1401/ |work=[[Steam (service)|Steam]] |publisher=[[Valve Corporation|Valve]] |date=January 10, 2008 |access-date=January 10, 2008 |archive-date=January 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118005804/http://store.steampowered.com/news/1401/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The game opened up to pre-purchasing on Valve's [[Steam (service)|Steam system]] on October 15, 2008.<ref>{{cite web |title=Left 4 Dead Pre-Purchase Infection on Now |url=http://store.steampowered.com/news/1897/ |publisher=[[Valve Corporation|Valve]] |date=October 15, 2008 |access-date=October 25, 2008 |archive-date=October 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010053449/http://store.steampowered.com/news/1897/ |url-status=live }}</ref>