"Fans" Boycott Left 4 Dead 2
Why The Group Is Mad
The gist of it is that Valve games have traditionally had very long lifespans. Valve updates them with free content for years after release, and gamers are happy because they get to keep playing a game that keeps getting better long after release. Left 4 Dead 2 breaks that trend by introducing a new game just a year after the last one was released and, presumably, ends the free updates for L4D1. The boycott group is also skeptical that the game will be any good since the first L4D took years to make and L4D2 seems like it is being rushed out the door.
Why The Group Is Ultimately Wrong
First, this boycott is almost exclusively for and about PC gamers. There are flashy headlines all over the 'net these days that might make 360 players worried, but it isn't even really about us. Basically, PC gamers spend so much money updating their rig every few months so they can actually play stuff that they feel entitled to free updates on all of their games until the end of time. Valve has usually accommodated this mindset in the past, but have decided to actually make money this time around. Good on them. Secondly, I doubt most of these gamers actually paid full price for L4D to begin with due to all of the sales and discounts on Steam. Seriously, how mad can you possibly be that your <$30 game only lasted a year. Even if you paid full price, the game is going to last a freaking year! I only played it for a few months and felt like I got my moneys worth. Third, don't worry about the quality of the game. The reason why the first game in a series takes years to make is because they have to build the engine and assets from the ground up. Sequels can be created quicker because they already have the foundation in place. And finally, I used "Fans" in the title of this blog for a reason. Are people that seriously don't want a new game with new levels, new enemies, new characters, and new everything else really even fans to begin with? I don't think so.
What Will This Boycott Accomplish
Honestly? Probably nothing. Like I said, this is mostly a PC issue. I'm sure there are a couple million eager players who can't wait to get their hands on the game on Xbox 360 (and PC) and I doubt EA and Valve would trade millions of happy customers to appease 20,000+ angry ones. This is all going to be moot come November when everyone buys Left 4 Dead 2 anyway. It is just too hard to keep anger like this all stirred up and in the headlines for 5+ months. People will forget about it. The game will look great. And they will buy it.
EDIT: And G4's Adam Sessler agrees and basically says everything I did. Check out Sessler's Left 4 Dead 2 Soapbox here.
Comments
I agree. I don’t know what all of the fuss is about. L4D 2 is going to introduce new melee weapons, new special zombies, new campaigns, new locations, new cast, new gameplay mode… They can’t really expect free add-ons with all of these additions. I’m anticipating the release and will definitely be purchasing the new game, and I just started playing the first one a month ago!
A lot of them aren’t even fans. A lot of them do not even own the game. The hole boycott is stupid and their only defense is the fact that they “promised” to release new stuff.
The thing is, they already have released new stuff, and plan on releasing more. Also, they never actually PROMISED anything. They planned to do it, which they did, unfortunately the DLC got too large, and they decided to release it as a new game.
I’m a PC gamer, and I’m every bit as happy to get a nice deal as anyone. However, their idea to “boycott” a new game is just plain stupid and ignorant. Also, if you try to prove a point, they will call you ignorant.
Their just a bunch of whiners that are getting too much attention.
Im on of L4D owner steam original owner..
I was dissapoint with the first edition sort storie campaing many bug exploits and the versus mode is not working fair to equal teams
i cant play on a game need 3 people to be accurate on what they do or me be accurate on what the wont me to do all the time
The game is full of code errors and this company made it like real amateurs….
I deleted the game i joined the boycott and i will not buy any game again from that company cause they are amateurs just love the money
no more money on any game from that company support thats my Huge Boycott.
They think we are stupid consumers..
They are wrong..
It may not actually accomplish anything but it is good that some fans are standing up against these multi-million dollar developers who after a few successes no longer devote themselves to pleasing the fans who are paying them for the game. I would have no problem if they made L4D2 downloadable content and charged for it, but to call this a sequel is undeserving. Its like adding tassels to a bike you’ve had for a year. You added something…but its still the same bike…even if you want to call it Bike 2.
On a character note, I have no problems with the L4D2 characters, but if I’m playing a sequel to L4D I want the option of playing the originals.
I’m sick of developers getting rich then making games and just expecting the public to shut up and buy them. The same public that made them rich in the first place. Unfortunately, because it’s VALVE people will buy and the game will have some measure of financial success, if not because they are charging full price for an ‘Update’.
BTW I play on 360 and even though PC owners are leading the Boycott it affects everyone VALVE will be ripping off.
Any credit to how you agree with Adam Sessler on the topic diminishes the value of your argument. I watched X-Play when it started, back when they gave a crap about the games and gamers. As of the last 2 Years Sessler and Webb have become sycophantic Developer sellouts. They give halfassed reviews that have lost their integrity and blatant honesty that made the show appealing. They care about gamers as much as the developers do. Which is not at all.
We’re just dollar signs anymore, and the stupid consumers make that possible. Thank you Idiots of the world. VALVE can go to hell along with Square Enix (The FF series died with FF9, everything after lacks any sense of originality. Last Remnant and Infinite Undiscovery were FF ports at best) and Capcom (ruined Resident Evil. RE5 was pathetic compared to the original.)
My money stays in my pocket this time, R.I.P. L4D!
First of all the boycotter’s complain of not enough content being released for Left 4 Dead,
Yet Valve has released a game mode titled “Survival” along with the release of two campaigns
added to the “Versus” game mode. Later on this month, Valve will be releasing another
Campaign for Left 4 Dead titled “Crash Course” which will be a bridge between No Mercy and
Death Toll. Once Left 4 Dead 2 is released, Valve will still be adding content for the
original Left 4 Dead. I don’t see why they complain about the “Lack” of content. When you
bought this game, You bought it to play the game, Not for the content that will be released
in the future, Valve dosen’t need to release any Content if they do not wish to, and that
“Promise” of content they made to you is the very same thing your Boycotting. If this much
Content comes out, Then you must pay for it, Things in life aren’t Free. Second, Left 4 Dead
2 can not be released as Downloadable Content for these reasons: (1) Left 4 Dead 2 now runs
with AI Director (2.0), Which is superior to the AI Director (1.0). AI Director (2.0) will
Change many things in the game, Including the games whether, The games routes that are taken
to reach a safe house, and tailor every ‘zombies’ clothing, In every spawn the zombie has.
That alone, To be added as Downloadable Content would take over 4 monthes, For a system like
the XBox 360, Not including the other features the AI Director (2.0) has. Reason (2) There
will be 5 New Campaigns, 4 New Survivors, Over 10 New Weapons, Including Melee Weapons, and
3 New Special Infected. These new Tools/AI would take a very long time to convert into
something small enough that it could be Downloadable Content, Maybe only 1 Campaign could
come out at a time, Which is pointless if were getting them all together, Including the
weapons and the Special Infected. Clearly you see why this cannot be “Free” as the
boycotters wish it to be. They also complain about the Release date of the game (November
17th 2009) not being enough time to polish content or make gameplay changes? Well, Of the
Gameplay I have seen of Left 4 Dead 2, I can say that they have definetly made many changes
to the environment, Which is another thing they complain about.. Being to colurful? This
game takes place in another area of the world, The environment changes throughout the world,
Which I think we ‘Should’ all know. Heh at this point I think they are just adding
Ridiculous reasons to the list. They complain of the music of when the Horde attack being
Disliked? Do you mean disliked by you, yourself? (Author of Boycott list) because then that
would be perfect to say, I in the other hand love the music, Along with almost the 3 million
members of the Left 4 Dead Commmunity. Well if they complain about the characters being
bland, I might agree alittle bit, But many people don’t care who there playing as, aslong as
they enjoy fighting endless hordes of zombies. Most of the Boycotters will be first in line
the day of release, Which I find amusing. I think that we can all agree that 60$ Is a small
price to pay for the sequel of one of the greatest Multyplayer Games on the market.
the thing is that lfd and lfd2 look the same i mean they could have easily charged us 10bux to add this shit on lfd. its not using any new technology, same graphics, i dunno im not gunna get it
just to help you “The reason why the first game in a series takes years to make is because they have to build the engine and assets from the ground up.”
They never had to build an engine it was always there as they used the latest hl2:Ep1 engine and added new features to it like the AI director =)
I agree that this boycott is stupid, unwarranted, and will go nowhere, but don’t you think you come off as a jerk when you underhandedly claim that all PC gamers think they’re entitled to free updates?