You play a game long enough, especially one as focused and polished as Left 4 Dead, and you naturally start to form an opinion.

So even months away from its release, I may as well declare what some already know: Left 4 Dead is going to be a major fucking hit.

The developers have nailed this thing in every way possible. The pacing. The polish. The guns. The zombies. Even the console port is great.

The Xbox 360 version of Left 4 Dead

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One thing Valve found out early on is that the media--and by that I mean screenshots, video, and the written word--does not do this game justice. It's a bit like watching a space shuttle launch on television, or listening to someone read... Read more

After greedily hogging a Left 4 Dead (PC, 360) demo station for what seemed like hours today at PAX, I had the chance to pull Valve's Chet Faliszek aside and get his comment on a number of topics related to the upcoming co-op zombie shooter. How different is the Xbox 360 version? Will the game have an all-talk chat option? What's that about a flamethrower? Read on for Faliszek's answers.

On the differences between the Xbox 360 and PC versions:

"I know someone on Shack or Left4Dead411, someone was like, 'Oh you can see they slowed it down on the 360.' Did it seem slower to you? Yeah. We didn't slow it down at all for the 360. Our tech guys, our really smart guys, did a ton of work so that the 360 users see the same things the PC users do.

Everything's the same. When we do split-screen, we do a couple little things just graphically there to smooth things out, but it's still the same speed, same match, same number of zombies. So as we were working on it, guys were like... Read more

Left 4 Dead writer Chet Faliszek has let loose with some intriguing details on the downloadable content for Valve's upcoming fast-paced zombie-tastic shooter for PC and Xbox 360. And yes, a flamethrower might be involved.

The company plans to add new scenarios to the game's initial 4, as well as new bosses and weapons. "There were strong hints at a flamethrower coming not long after launch," 1UP reported after talking to Faliszek.

The Valve writer also promised that the studio aims to make that DLC available more quickly than they have done with Team Fortress 2. It is unknown whether that content will be free on Xbox 360, as Valve's penchant for free content on its PC games has met with resistance from Microsoft when releasing new content on Xbox Live Marketplace.

For the Xbox 360 version, Valve plans to offer dedicated servers ... Read more

Update: Left 4 Dead will hit North America on November 18, followed by a European release on November 21, Valve marketing VP Doug Lombardi informed Shacknews.

While the new date coincides with the 10th anniversary of the original Half-Life, Lombardi described it as an ironic coincidence, and explained that the game was delayed for fine tuning.

Original: The release of Valve's cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead has been postponed until November 20, company president Gabe Newell revealed to Gamekings.

"Left 4 Dead is going to be released on the tenth anniversary of Half-Life, our first game," said Newell. "That will be on November 20th, the third week in November."

The oft-delayed title had previously been slated to hit PC and Xbox 360 on November 4. No reason was provided for the brief delay, though the crowded fall season--Gears of War 2 (360) arrives November 7--is believed to be a factor.

Along with new Left 4 Dead screenshots, Valve has released new footage of the cooperative zombie shooter, which will infect PC and Xbox 360 on November 4.

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New screenshots from Valve's cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead (PC, 360), due November 4, mark the latest media to emerge from the Leipzig Games Convention.

In keeping with Valve's plan to take its co-op zombie shooter Left 4 Dead on tour before its November release, the company today announced that it will be making several appearances at upcoming industry events.

Curious survivors can check out Left 4 Dead at the Leipzig Games Convention (Germany), Festival du Jeu Video (France), and PC Gamer Showdown (UK). The company also noted that the worldwide premiere of the Xbox 360 version will take place at the upcoming Penny Arcade Expo.

"The shared experience of Left 4 Dead is unlike that of any other action game," said Valve president Gabe Newell. "That's what we've experienced playing the game, and from showing the game to the press and our partners.

"It sounds cliche, but in many ways you have to play this one to truly appreciate what we're attempting. So, to give gamers a chance to sample this new type of experience first hand, we're taking Left 4 Dead on the road."

Much like the undead, rumors of a PS3 release of Left 4 Dead just won't stay down.

According to a brief aside in the latest issue of Official PlayStation Magainze, "Left 4 Dead is coming to PS3, but EA will be taking on development duties in-house."

At present, Valve's cooperative-focused zombie-killing shooter is slated for to hit PC and Xbox 360 on November 4. Valve's last PS3 release, The Orange Box, was ported by EA UK and was oft-criticized for performance issues not found in the PC and 360 releases.

It's not the first time that media outlets have mentioned PlayStation 3 version of Left 4 Dead, with listings having previously appeared via publications GamePro and EGM.

Following the last round of rumors, project leader Mike Booth denied the claims, telling fansite Left4Dead411 that "Left 4 Dead is not currently in development for the PS3."

Continuing this week's barrage of Left 4 Dead assets, Valve has released four new screenshots from the Hospital level of its upcoming cooperative zombie killing game.

Left 4 Dead hits PC and Xbox 360 on November 4. Check out our recent hands-on preview for more details, and be sure to scope out our latest contest for a chance at winning some fancy Left 4 Dead swag.

Zombies: Love or hate them, they're an inseparable part of pop culture, and an inevitable part of many apocalii. One way this phenomenon is manifesting itself is Valve's co-op shooter Left 4 Dead, coming in November for PC and Xbox 360.

Valve has gifted Shacknews with an onslaught of Left 4 Dead shirts. We would love to get these to Shackers, but we need an efficient, fair method of distribution. For that, we are asking you to record your best zombie moan, and post it here.

Yes, turn your mic on and commit to audio file your best zombie impression. Simply upload it somewhere, and then post the link in the comments to this post. We'll give you a week to make sure everyone has a chance to get their groan on, and then we'll judge the results. Funny? Serious? Just make sure it's clearly audible, and we'll clothe a horde of you.

Following up on yesterday's terrifyingly awesome box art, Valve has provided Shacknews with an exclusive screenshot from its multiplayer zombie shooter Left 4 Dead.

The screenshot details the recent redesign of Louis, who formerly sported a heavy jacket and a full head of hair. According to Valve founder Gabe Newell, the decision to overhaul the design of the four main characters stemmed from a desire to create easily distinguishable silhouettes, a practice the company first applied in Team Fortress 2.

Developed by Turtle Rock Studios, which Valve acquired earlier this year, Left 4 Dead is slated to hit PC and Xbox 360 on November 4. For more on the game, check out our hands-on impressions from E3 and footage from that playthrough.

Left, Zoey's original design. Right, Zoey's new design.

From developer Valve comes a first look at the artwork set to adorn the retail release of its cooperative zombie-slaying shooter, Left 4 Dead (PC, 360).

While Shacknews does not regularly report on promotional imagery and pack shots, we feel that the box art for Left 4 Dead—arguably one of the Shack's most anticipated games of 2008—merits the attention in an era of standard-issue character render artwork.

Left 4 Dead is expected to hit retail shelves and Valve's PC digital distribution platform Steam on November 4. For more on the game, check out our most recent preview, the latest batch of footage and the new character designs, all hailing from last week's E3 Media and Business Summit.

Aaron Linde just can't catch a break. If there's a window, he'll find some way to fall out of it. Luckily, Valve's zombie shooter Left 4 Dead features a convenient ghost camera.

Inbetween the frequent horrible scenes of death and humiliation, I managed to capture a little footage of the game, showing off the newly redesigned characters.

Left 4 Dead is set for a November 4 release on PC and Xbox 360. Don't forget to check out Linde's humiliation-free preview, posted this afternoon.

Pipe bombs are funny things—people tend to scatter when they come a-rollin'. It's hard to blame them, but would it be such an inconvenience to pile atop a dropped pipe bomb to make for the most spectacular, effective, and gory explosion possible?

For Valve's Left 4 Dead and its cooperative take on first-person zombie-slaying, the solution is simple: flashing lights and a droning alarm.

"The problem with the pipe bombs was always that people would throw them, they'd kill a bunch of zombies, but they wouldn't see them or what was going on," said Valve writer Chet Faliszek. "So we wanted to give them something to really connect to."

When I last played Left 4 Dead, the pipe bomb was a simple but effective explosive—its revised appearance in the latest build is ridiculously more lethal, drawing scores of zombies with a loud repeated beeping and flashing lights. Peering out... Read more

During a presentation at the Electronic Arts E3 press conference, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell revealed a redesign of the characters in his company's zombie shooter Left 4 Dead.

Following the character designs, a short gameplay trailer was also shown off. Video of both is now available below.

We'll be going hands-on with Left 4 Dead tomorrow, so stick around for updated impressions of the co-op shooter.

Valve's multiplayer-focused zombie survival shooter Left 4 Dead (PC, 360) will include two-person split-screen play in addition to four-person online cooperative survival play, co-founder Gabe Newell revealed at EA's E3 press event.

It was unclear if that functionality is limited to the Xbox 360 version, or if it will be included in the PC edition as well. The game will let players assume control of undead foes as well, though the exact details of that functionality have not been disclosed.

Newell also noted that the game's four survivor characters have been redesigned. The new character designs better reflect the characters' status as survivors of a recent outbreak instead of hardened battle veterans.

Louis, for example, has lost his dreadlocks and battle armor, replaced by blood-splatted dress shirt, a loose tie, and a bald head.

Left 4 Dead is slated to arrive November 4. More details on the playable undead are expected to arrive tomorrow during Shacknews' hands-on time with the title.

Publisher EA today released a metric truckload of E3 media for its upcoming games. Check below for screenshots from Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3, Dead Space, FaceBreaker, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Left 4 Dead, Lord of the Rings Conquest, Mercenaries 2: World in Flames, SimCity Creator, Skate It, Spore and Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 (PC, 360)

Dead Space (PC, PS3, 360)

FaceBreaker (PS3, 360, Wii)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PC, PS2, PS3, ... Read more

A number of Valve's PC shooters will soon support Novint's Falcon controller (pictured left) as part of a new agreement, the companies have announced.

Serving as an alternative to the traditional mouse-based FPS control scheme, the Novint Falcon allows for three-dimensional freedom of movement and tactile response. Support for the peripheral will be added in an update distributed through Valve's digital download platform Steam.

Games slated to support the controller include Half-Life 2 and its two following episodes, Team Fortress 2, Portal and Counter-Strike: Source. Valve's ... Read more

Valve and Turtle Rock's cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead will ship November 4 on both PC and Xbox 360, according to project lead Mike Booth.

The news comes from a recent GameTrailers interview with Booth, the founder of Valve subsidiary Turtle Rock Studios.

For more on Left 4 Dead, check out our most recent preview, which features a look at the game's bitchy Witch monster.

In our first batch of hands-on impressions with Valve and Turtle Rock's cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead, fellow Shacknews editor Chris Faylor and I were introduced to thousands of bloodthirsty new friends. Returning to Valve's offices last week to play the latest build of the game, I finally met the belle of the ball: the witch.

When you first encounter her, Left 4 Dead's fifth and unplayable boss infected is a peculiar sight. The notion of a plainly-dressed and raven-haired young woman sitting in the middle of an urban sidewalk might even be plausible, had the city not been teeming with the hungry dead. But perhaps most unsettling is the quiet ... Read more