This weekend, things are going to get even harder for the poor Survivors from Left 4 Dead 2, thanks to the game's latest rule-changing "Mutation." And one Mutation is up for permanent, not weekly, contention.

"Bleed Out" the second gameplay variation added to the rotation to those who have upgraded to Left 4 Dead 2's first expansion, The Passing, will afflict the Survivors with "no permanent health, only temporary health that is continuously ticking away." This time, it affects the game's Campaign mode. Next week? "Follow the Liter." Sounds like cola escort to me.

Valve notes on the official L4D blog that the Left 4 Dead 2 in-game poll poses an important question: "Should we make Realism Versus a permanent game mode?" Sure. Why not? Why not make them all permanent?

Puking and Bleeding Out [L4D Blog]

Agent Midnight over at DeviantArt thinks Scout Man has what it takes to be a real video game, though he might need a little help. Check out the rest of his Team Fortress 2 sprite work here.

It never rains Valve merchandise, it pours. Hot on the heels of the news the company will be releasing statues and props based on its favourite franchises comes word a line of Left 4 Dead plushies are also on sale.

There'll be five in total, with the first available being everyone's favourite undead fatty, the Boomer. He'll cost $50, and in a nice touch, was designed not by some nameless company in China, but by Alexandria "beavotron" Neonakis, creator of the amazing Valve Christmas cards.

$50 sounds like a lot for a plush, but he's not just for cuddles, as when squeezed he'll emit one of ten pre-recorded sounds. Presumably eight of them are some kind of gurgling noise.

Some of the other plushies in the pipeline include the Witch and Tank.

L4D2 Boomer [Valve]

Flush with pride over the game's 119th update, Valve today released another update for online shooter Team Fortress 2, designed to honour those that have been with the game since its launch all the way back in 2007.

Along with a few minor tweaks to the mechanics of the game, it introduces three types of medals players can wear on their chests, which reflect how long they've been playing the game. If you played your first game of TF2 twelve months (or later) after the game's release, you get a bronze "Weekend Warrior" badge.

Those whose first game was between 3-12 months after the game first came out, you get a silver "Soldier of Fortune" badge. And those lucky few, the pioneers who played their first game within the first three months of the game's launch? You get the gold "grizzled veteran" medal. Wear it with pride, soldier. You deserve it.

Sounds paltry, but for a community so passionate and loyal (not to mention vain) as Team Fortress 2's, they'll be seen as valuable commodities. And rightly so. If you're still playing an online shooter nearly three years after it came out, you deserve that medal.

To read up on the 119th update - and a great rundown of the 118 before it - hit Valve's blog below.

119 [Team Fortress 2]