Left 4 Dead Sells 1.8 Million at Retail

February 3, 2009 2:17 PM

Valve's cooperative zombie-shooter Left 4 Dead sold over 1.8 million copies at retailers in 2008, distributor Electronic Arts revealed in a conference call today.

The figure accounts for retail sales of the PC and Xbox 360 versions, but does not include those copies sold via Valve's digital distribution platform Steam.

Nor does the figure include total worldwide retail sales, as Valve reminded us that EA Partners handles its retail distribution in "most, but not all of the world."

Chris Faylor

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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peat

 reply
February 3, 2009 2:19 PM

I wonder how many more they sold on steam, 500k?
- ReckHavoc
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 2:26 PM
  
  Who knows, all I know is Steam's the only way me and all my friends buy Valve games now.
  - hool10
    
     reply
    February 3, 2009 2:35 PM
    
    Same. Plus they got that 4 copies of L4D thing as a Steam exclusive.
  - GenRabbit
    
     reply
    February 4, 2009 4:05 AM
    
    I bought over 150 games on Steam. But after they changed so Eurpoeans has to pay 40% more, I dropped it. hasen't bought a game since on it and don't think it will ever happen again either.
- schnitz76
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 2:32 PM
  
  I think it depends on how much of those sales are X360.
  - kungfusquirrel
    
     reply
    February 3, 2009 2:41 PM
    
    I've always assumed Steam sales of Valve games were some relatively stable proportion larger than reported retail sales... so I'd think the higher the PC, the higher the rest of the sales via Steam.
    
    Just random guessing, though. Wish they'd be more open about Steam sales.
    - Tauru
      
       reply
      February 3, 2009 2:43 PM
      
      I agree. I only buy shit over steam too, and that's double, because I buy for two machines. I'm glad for Valve. They do good work.
- stgdz
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 2:57 PM
  
  I would say no more then a 100k
  - ReckHavoc
    
     reply
    February 3, 2009 3:25 PM
    
    Nah I doubt it, if it's sold over a million on the 360.. it must have sold at least that if not double, considering this was a HUGE title for the PC.
    - stgdz
      
       reply
      February 3, 2009 3:32 PM
      
      BF2 has sold a total of 4+ million copies so far, this game has been out for less then a couple of months. We don't know how many copies hl2 sold due to steam.
      
      PC games typically sell less then console games.
      - i poop from there
        
         reply
        February 3, 2009 3:38 PM
        
        unless they are Valve games. PC gamers know to buy Valve games for the PC and not their 360's.
        
        stgdz
        
         reply
        February 3, 2009 3:55 PM
        
        And why is this?
        
        i poop from there
        
         reply
        February 3, 2009 4:04 PM
        
        free updates, constantly patched, superior controllers....
        
        MeestaNob
        
         reply
        February 3, 2009 10:32 PM
        
        BINGO.
        
        The 360 version will almost certainly be paid DLC, PC version will be free ongoing patches.
        
        Buying the console version of anything, but most especially Valve stuff, is utter madness.
- Leviathan41
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 3:00 PM
  
  I remember reading that Valve's Steam sales surpass their retail sales (or at least they expected them to)
  
  "Valve, Newell states, are seeing a 200% growth in alternative ways of reaching gamers, and in the next three months expect to see this surpass that of retail."
  
  It's a live blog post from a Valve press event so it's worded a little funny, but if I am understanding correctly, Valve games sell on Steam about equal to retail and they expected in 3 months (the article is from Summer 2008), that Steam sales would surpass retail sales for Valve games.
  
  source: http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2008/05/29/rps-at-valve-live/
- wviperw
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 3:20 PM
  
  A conservative guess would be at least a million. IMO it's more likely that they sold more copies via Steam than they did at retail, which means ~2 million via Steam.
  - ReckHavoc
    
     reply
    February 3, 2009 3:26 PM
    
    I agree, 2 million sounds about right for the Steam version.
- Wisp!
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 4:00 PM
  
  I would say 1.5 million. They were rumored to have sold 3 million total so that seems about right. Of these 1.8 I would say its split down the middle.
  
  The Orange Box sold 3 million copies with 1/2 being PC sales, 200k on the PS3 and 130,000 on the Xbox.
- ajvitaly
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 4:07 PM
  
  Valve's digital sales now outstrip retail sales. Of course we're talking strictly about PC.
- mrhankeydinks
  
   reply
  February 3, 2009 10:59 PM
  
  i have a feeling, the bulk of the 15million Steam Users bought L4D.....