Left 4 Dead Xbox 360
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Left 4 Dead is a game for the Xbox 360 console. It was released simultaneously with the PC version on November 18, 2008 in the U.S. and November 21, 2008 in Europe, and was developed alongside the PC version. The two versions are virtually identical, the only differences being that the Xbox 360 version has split-screen co-op and no control over the voice system.
PAX 2008 was the first time the Xbox 360 version was ever shown off to the public, and plenty of videos were taken which you can find in our news posts below:
- First L4D Xbox 360 Footage - 8/28/08
- L4D Kicking Ass at PAX 2008 - 8/31/08
- More L4D from PAX - 9/1/08
- Left 4 Dead from PAX - 9/2/08
- Four videos, two articles - 9/5/08
The Xbox 360 version features two-player split-screen play, which can be changed to have a horizontal or vertical split depending on your preference. Two players on the same system can take their gameplay online.
According to a January 17th, 2008 preview of Left 4 Dead by Shacknews, there will be no cross-platform play between PC and Xbox 360 users. Valve marketing VP Doug Lombardi "attributed the decision to a variety of technical obstacles."
The March 2008 issue of the Official Xbox Magazine featured Left 4 Dead. They are the first people outside of Valve to actually be able to see it in action, but didn't get to play it. "Valve didn't let us play the 360 edition of Left 4 Dead because it was too early and unbalanced - apparently, the zombies were so overpowered that humans stood no chance." And about the graphics, "'The 360 look is almost to where the PC is, and we'll get it up to the PC look before we ship,' promises Faliszek."
Left 4 Dead features four-player co-op and eight-player, 4-on-4 Versus matches via Xbox Live or System Link.
The other big news from this article is that a separate game company named Certain Affinity is handling the Xbox 360 version. Certain Affinity is a small game developer founded in November 2006 based in Austin, Texas with about 16 employees. Their first product was Halo 2's Blastacular Map Pack for Bungie and Microsoft. Certain Affinity is led by Max Hoberman, a 10-year Bungie veteran who was multiplayer lead for both Halo 2 and Halo 3. OXM explained how the work is divided between the three (now two, since Turtle Rock Studios has been absorbed by Valve):
Left 4 Dead is the work of three companies - Valve Software, Turtle Rock Studios, and Certain Affinity. As the creators of The Orange Box and the Source engine, Valve is handling the games core software functionality. Certain Affinity (the Texas company created by ex-Bungie veteran Max Hoberman) was brought on to handle 360-specific elements like matchmaking, Live support, console customization, and 360 gameplay tweaks. Turtle Rock - developer of Counter-Strike for the original Xbox and the Pc's more recent Counter-Strike: Source - owns Left 4 Dead's design. Monsters, level work, weapons, and especially the game's A.I. all fall to the Turtle Rock crew.
Max Hoberman was in charge of the entire online system for Halo 2 and 3, including matchmaking and the party system. Having that experience behind the Xbox 360 version of Left 4 Dead is very exciting - as I understand it, Halo 2 and 3 did pretty well in the online arena!
