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Back 4 Blood returns from the void with concept art after more than a year

It isn't much to go on for Turtle Rock's return to a Left 4 Dead co-op zombie formula, but the game is still kicking around.

TJ Denzer

July 6, 2020 7:15 AM

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It’s been more than a year since we first learned of Back 4 Blood. Turtle Rock Studios has teased a return to the co-op zombie-fighting antics that made it famous with Left 4 Dead and its sequel, but we haven’t learned much about the game since its initial announcement. Nonetheless, recently and seemingly out of nowhere, Turtle Rock Studios dropped some concept art for Back 4 Blood, showing that the game is still in the works.

Turtle Rock Studios showed off the surprising little bit of concept art on its Twitter channel on July 4, 2020. It’s not much to go on, but it shows what appears to be a hillside fort or perhaps prison compound with fencing and spiky defenses lining the hill beneath the structure. Written on the complex is “HOPE” meaning it’s probably a bastion for whatever humans remain there. It’s just some art and not a in-game render or anything, but at least it’s a little something.

Getting to this 4th of July has been tough on all of us, so we wanted to give you a sneak peek and a bit of Hope. pic.twitter.com/buGOBayz5N

— Turtle Rock Studios (@TurtleRock) July 4, 2020

Alongside the concept art, Turtle Rock alludes to the difficulty getting to this point of the year, very likely referring to the matter of COVID-19 and other major factors of delay and unrest throughout 2020. Back 4 Blood was announced back in March 2019, and very little has been said about the game since then. Since the lengthy swing and miss that was Evolve, the studio is likely taking its time to ensure that the return to co-op form is a good one. Even so, Turtle Rock hasn’t been resting on its laurels. It released a couple VR titles throughout 2019 - Journey of the Gods and Face Your Fears 2 - both of which garnered praise from their players.

Whatever is going on with Back 4 Blood, we can at least rest assured that the project is apparently not yet left for dead. Stay tuned for news and information as we await further updates from Turtle Rock Studios.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.