Valve has just issued a press release saying that a new game mode called "Survival" will be released this Spring along with Dead Air and Death Toll for Versus mode and the SDK.

Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Half-Life, Portal, Team Fortress, and Counter-Strike) and leading technologies (such as Steam and Source), today announced a series of content and development releases for its latest title, 2008's best-selling new game property for the PC and Xbox 360, Left 4 Dead (L4D).

The first L4D DLC - dubbed the L4D Survival Pack -- is due for release this spring and introduces a new multiplayer game mode entitled, Survival, plus two complete campaigns for Versus Mode . A Critic's Choice Edition of the game is also heading to retail stores this spring, and will include access to all the content introduced in the L4D: Survival Pack.

In addition, for PC gamers and aspiring developers, the first Left 4 Dead release for the Source Software Development Kit (Source SDK) will allow the creation of custom Left 4 Dead campaigns that will be discoverable via L4D's matchmaking system. The SDK update is also due for release this spring, and is free of charge to all owners of L4D on the PC.

"Since Half-Life launched in 1998, Valve has made continuous efforts to expand the offering of its products beyond what's included on the day of launch," said Gabe Newell, co-founder and president of Valve. "With Half-Life and Counter-Strike, and more recently Team Fortress 2, we've learned that we're no longer making stand-alone games but creating entertainment services. With Left 4 Dead we're extending that tradition by creating additional gameplay and releasing our internal tools to aspiring developers so they may also create and distribute new Left 4 Dead experiences."

Left 4 Dead is a survival action game from Valve that blends the social entertainment experience of multiplayer games such as Counter-Strike and Team Fortress with the dramatic, narrative experience made popular in single player action game classics such as the Half-Life series of games. Released in November of 2008, L4D has earned over 25 industry awards from outlets around the world.

Valve has released an update for the Xbox 360 version of Left 4 Dead. Details below:

A free update for the Xbox 360 version of Left 4 Dead is available now via Xbox Live. The update includes a host of fixes, tweaks and new features, including enhancements to Versus mode for improved competitive play. The full change list is:

General
Fixed Survivors being able to climb surfaces marked for versus infected only
Fixed a class of SurvivorBot bugs dealing with rescuing downed players
Players can no longer grab ladders while flying through the air after a Tank punch
Shooting near a car with an alarm that has already fired the alarm will no longer make chirping noises
Fixed mini-gun physics exploit
Fixed propane tanks (and other physics objects) causing players to fall through elevators
Fixed rare achievement bug issues
Fixed several map exploits

Versus Changes
Added HUD elements to show status of other infected players
Fixed instance where a Survivor changing to the infected team would be attacked by infected bots
Normalized special infected melee damage
Fixed exploit where infected players could run away and teleport back to gain health
Players can only change teams once per map
Players can't change teams while other players are still loading
Tank spawns at the same % through the map for both teams in versus mode
Made the Tank and Witch spawn directly on the escape route
Increased chance of getting the Tank or Witch
Fixed team swap issue

Hunter
Easier to pounce a Survivor who is meleeing
Increased Minimum damage a Hunter pounce does

Smoker
Fixed Smoker tongue tolerance
Smoker now has to be killed or the tongue destroyed for the tongue to break
Survivors cannot bash someone off the tongue until the Survivor being pulled is paralyzed or hanging
Tongue attacks that fail to paralyze or hang a Survivor will use the shorter ability delay timer
Fixed cases where the ability timer was not using the correct time
Fixed case where you could point at a Survivor but not register a tongue hit
Fixed Smoker tongue not targeting and landing properly through PZ ghosts
Smoker tongue does damage every second while dragging paralyzed Survivors

Tank
Bashable objects now appear with a red glow
Tanks hitting a car with an alarm disables the alarm permanently
Tank frustration timer is only reset by hitting Survivors with rocks or fists
Reduced autoshotgun damage against Tanks

Witch
Witch spawns at the same % through the map for both teams
Avoids spawning within a certain % of the tank
Fixed an exploit where the Witch could be woken up and tricked into attacking Survivors
These updates bring the 360 version up to the PC version in terms of bugs fixed, which is sure to be welcome for all the 360 players.

Shacknews explains what the Survival Pack will bring to L4D:

The free Survival Pack adds the new Survival game mode, where players are given time to dig in before fending off unceasing zombie hordes in an attempt to survive as long as possible. Survival Mode is played on 12 new maps--11 being sections of existing levels and 1 created especially for Survival Mode, Lighthouse.

The Survival Pack also brings Versus mode to the final two co-op campaigns, Dead Air and Death Toll. This release coincides with the release of Left 4 Dead: Critics Choice Edition, which contains the original game plus the Survival Pack.
The Survival Pack will be free for all Left 4 Dead players.



Left 4 Dead Survival Pack Release Dated
by Alice O'Connor Mar 23, 2009 9:52am CST tags: Left 4 Dead, DLC, Xbox Live Marketplace
Left 4 DeadShackHype
4 Shacks1 - Terrible
2 - Bad
3 - Average
4 - Good
5 - Fantastic
+ Library | + Wanted ListAccording to a Microsoft press release issued this morning, Left 4 Dead's Survival Pack DLC will be released on April 21. This release concerned the Xbox 360 version but Valve traditionally releases its PC content in a timely manner, and has previously stated that it will come by April 21.

The free Survival Pack adds the new Survival game mode, where players are given time to dig in before fending off unceasing zombie hordes in an attempt to survive as long as possible. Survival Mode is played on 12 new maps--11 being sections of existing levels and 1 created especially for Survival Mode, Lighthouse.


The Survival Pack also brings Versus mode to the final two co-op campaigns, Dead Air and Death Toll. This release coincides with the release of Left 4 Dead: Critics Choice Edition, which contains the original game plus the Survival Pack.

Valve has been contacted for confirmation of the PC release date.

""Valve has been contacted for confirmation of the PC release date." ... So I take it that Valve ..."113 Comments

A youtube link is going around explaining how to get free games on Steam. The hack does not work and will instead get your account hacked. NEVER EVER SEND YOUR STEAM INFO TO ANY WEBSITES OR EMAIL ADDRESSES. The only place you should EVER input your info is at the login screen for Steam, no where else. EVARZ.

Francis Hates Left 4 Dead - 1/28/09
GCIDogmeat and GCITherewolf have made a music video on everything Francis hates about Left 4 Dead.


They have a thread in the official forums, post your comments there.

More At: http://www.left4dead411.com/news/2009/01/francis-hates-l4d/