Left 4 Dead 2 - Valve
An update has been released for Left 4 Dead 2.

- Fixed several rare but persistent crashes:
- Round restart in No Mercy map 1
- Witch eye glow particle system
- Chainsaw pose parameter update
- Common Infected post data update
- Scavenge mode scoreboard
- Fixed text input not working correctly in Hammer model browser search field.
Left 4 Dead - contact@rockpapershotgun.com (Alec Meer)

2014 would seem to be the year in which the games industry has another crack at making primarily multiplayer shooting games work all over again. There’ve been a few false starts in the past, but Destiny and Titanfall are some super-big, super-fat attempts at achieveing enormous mass market success from shooters where narrative takes a backseat. Now Evolve joins the ranks of big games looking for a piece of glossy, next-generation COD-seasoned pie, and it comes from Turtle Rock Studios, those former Valve chums who did the heavy lifting on the original Left 4 Dead. (more…)

Left 4 Dead 2
Far Cry 2


Technically, I'm aware that the employees of Valve have regular jobs, doing regular things on irregularly mobile desks. Even so, when picturing Clint Hocking's year and half stint with the company, I can't help but imagine him strapped into a central development node, where tendrilled mind probes extract creative ideas to be fed into the Almighty Feedback Formula. I'm not saying that's definitely what happened, but if it is, it's perhaps understandable why he'd leave. Which he has.

News of Hocking's departure comes via his LinkedIn account and personal blog, where his biography states: "From 2012 until the end of 2013, Clint worked as a designer and level designer at Valve in Seattle."

Hocking is probably best known for his work at Ubisoft, where he was creative director for Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory - a game that, to this day, remains the highpoint of that series. He was also the creative director for Far Cry 2, which is either the best of the worst Far Cry game, depending on your fondness for emergent situations, jamming weapons and malaria.

In typical Valve style, we don't officially know what Hocking was working on. But based on leaked information taken from their internal database, he was suspected to be part of the team developing the yet to be announced Left 4 Dead 3. As yet, there's no information about his next project, but hopefully it'll evoke the same manic clash of systems that defined FC2's best moments.

Thanks, ValveTime.
Left 4 Dead 2
Left 4 Dead 2


Not killed enough undead monstrosities this Christmas? Let Valve fix that for you. Left 4 Dead 2 is now free on Steam. In case you've missed it thus far, Left 4 Dead is blooming brilliant. You and up to three human buddies fight through 90 minute missions set in different zombie-infested locales across America. The zombie throngs are managed by an AI director, which measures your health and stress levels and doles out varying degrees of punishment to match your perceived mood. Watch out, also, for the special infected - hideous supermutants with unique ways of punching/eating/melting your face.

The Left 4 Dead 1 maps have all been ported into the sequel, making Left 4 Dead 2 the definitive entry in the series. There are also plenty of fan-made campaigns and mods on the Steam workshop, including a Helm's Deep Lord of the Rings map and a mod that turns your party of survivors into Velociraptors.

According to a Left 4 Dead 2 Steam announcement, the game will be free until 10AM PST 26/12/2013. Go, go, go.
Left 4 Dead 2 - Chet
<center><img src="http://media.steampowered.com/steam/news/12152/blog_image.jpg?t=1387852412"></center>
To celebrate the holidays in a special way this year, Left 4 Dead 2 will be free until 10AM PST 12/26.

It will be free as in, <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/550">grab it now</a>, pay no money, and it is yours to keep forever – FOR FREE!

To claim your L4D2 gift, all you need to do is install it.

If you don’t install, it goes back to its regular price and you miss out! The zombie apocalypse is more fun with friends so make sure to tell all your mates to install it as well.

To help spread the holiday cheer, all current players can earn the achievement – Ghost of Christmas Present – Spread cheer by helping a free holiday player survive a campaign.

Left 4 Dead 2 is filled with so much content where do you start?

To avoid any grinches, we suggest jumping into campaign mode and get the basics down before moving into the competitive modes.

You can also check out some <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=203672426">guides</a>, read <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/app/550/discussions/">the forums</a> and ask questions, check out <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/app/550/images?p=1&browsefilter=toprated">some art</a>, read <a href="http://www.l4d.com/comic/">the comic</a>, watch <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/app/550/videos?p=1&browsefilter=toprated">some movies</a>, and most importantly have fun!

Some other quick tips:

Before the game: HOOK UP YOUR MICROPHONE! Communication is important in L4D2. Make sure you can keep in contact with your teammates.

In Game: stay with your teammates. L4D2 is all about teamwork and leaving your dentist friend behind to go off on your own will only get you killed. It doesn't matter that you glow!

Post Game: Make friends. If you are having fun with a group, send them friend invites or join a common group.

And there is more!

You can listen to the <a href="http://media.steampowered.com/steam/news/12152/All%20I%20Want%20For%20Christmas%20(is%20to%20kick%20your%20ass).mp3?t=1387670808">Midnight Riders</a>. Download and vote on <a href="http://steamcommunity.com/workshop/browse/?appid=550&browsesort=toprated&browsefilter=toprated&p=1">Workshop</a> items. Dive into the <a href="https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/Left_4_Dead_2_Level_Creation">modding tools</a>,and create your own items for the workshop including the scripts for the <a href="https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/L4D2_EMS/Intro">Extended Mutation System</a>.

Welcome to Left 4 Dead and Happy Holidays!
Left 4 Dead 2 - Chet
<center></center>
To celebrate the holidays in a special way this year, Left 4 Dead 2 will be free until 10AM PST 12/26.

It will be free as in, grab it now, pay no money, and it is yours to keep forever – FOR FREE!

To claim your L4D2 gift, all you need to do is install it.

If you don’t install, it goes back to its regular price and you miss out! The zombie apocalypse is more fun with friends so make sure to tell all your mates to install it as well.

To help spread the holiday cheer, all current players can earn the achievement – Ghost of Christmas Present – Spread cheer by helping a free holiday player survive a campaign.

Left 4 Dead 2 is filled with so much content where do you start?

To avoid any grinches, we suggest jumping into campaign mode and get the basics down before moving into the competitive modes.

You can also check out some guides, read the forums and ask questions, check out some art, read the comic, watch some movies, and most importantly have fun!

Some other quick tips:

Before the game: HOOK UP YOUR MICROPHONE! Communication is important in L4D2. Make sure you can keep in contact with your teammates.

In Game: stay with your teammates. L4D2 is all about teamwork and leaving your dentist friend behind to go off on your own will only get you killed. It doesn't matter that you glow!

Post Game: Make friends. If you are having fun with a group, send them friend invites or join a common group.

And there is more!

You can listen to the Midnight Riders. Download and vote on Workshop items. Dive into the modding tools,and create your own items for the workshop including the scripts for the Extended Mutation System.

Welcome to Left 4 Dead and Happy Holidays!
Left 4 Dead
Dec 17, 2013
Left 4 Dead 2 - Valve
An update has been released for Left 4 Dead 2.

- Fixed a file management bug that could cause some users to run out of memory when opening the Addons screen.
- Removed SSE2 requirement that was added during the Linux port.
- Fixed plugin handler reporting all commands as coming from the server, even when they came from the client.
Nov 27, 2013
Left 4 Dead 2 - Valve
The Steam Sale is here! For the next six days, take advantage of huge saving on thousands of PC, Mac and Linux titles. Check back often to take advantage of our eight-hour Flash Sales.

Today's Daily Deals include:


Add games to your Steam Wishlist and be notified when a game from your Wishlist goes on sale, or shop for games using the Steam Mobile App, available for iOS and Android.

Be sure to check Steam every day to see new featured deals.

Oct 29, 2013
Left 4 Dead 2 - Chet
<center><img src="http://media.steampowered.com/steam/news/11745/mood%20study_01.jpg?t=1383077043"></center>
Do you have plans for Halloween? Sure, sure you could go outside, get candy, dress up, go to parties, or other dangerous activities which will most likely lead to your demise, but we think buying your first copy of L4D2 or gifting it to a friend is the best and safest way to celebrate the holiday.

To help, we have put <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/550/">L4D2 on sale for an incredible 75% off</a>.

If one of your friends are the type who are dressing up as IT Crowd characters for Halloween, keep them safe by letting them know, this week the Linux version of L4D2 has moved out of Beta into full release. If that doesn’t impress them, maybe some stats will. Did you know you are 57X less likely to drown while playing L4D2 than you are when bobbing for apples?

If you and all your friends already own L4D2 – first congratulations, you are hanging out with the right group of people - we have the perfect gift for the holiday, avoid sweets that will just rot their teeth, instead get them this <a href="http://thesmoker.gamingheads.com/newsletters/1268d13cf26c4b4f4f932e3eff990093ba.html">amazing Smoker Statue</a>. It goes on pre-sale today.
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