Left 4 Dead 2′s two million unit killing spree

Bobby Miller 1 Dec, 2009 at 3:32pm ET Article published in Gaming

Valve has done it again. In only two weeks’ time, over 2 million copies of Left 4 Dead 2 have been sold. These figures are effectively double those of the original Left 4 Dead in the same amount of time. If the trend continues, L4D2 will become one of the top selling games of November for both PC and Xbox 360. First place probably would have been an accurate assumption if it weren’t for a little game called Modern Warfare 2.

Valve Software: Chopping down sales expectations

All this goes to show that the allegations of L4D2 being “a full-priced expansion pack” are inaccurate; all the complaining in the world couldn’t stop Valve from having another blockbuster on their hands. These sales may also suggest that online petitions don’t actually accomplish anything. Icrontic will be contacting CNN soon with this shocking new development.

Now, if everyone is done complaining about the game long enough to see that it is an outstanding title, let us all grab our shotguns and chainsaws and get to the zombie blasting. For everyone else, you don’t have to buy the game; you’ll have plenty of Call of Duty and Madden games to keep you busy in the meantime.

Community Comments

1. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 3:54pm Snarkasm

   Lynx said:

   All this goes to show that the allegations of L4D2 being ‘a full priced expansion pack’ are inaccurate.

   Logic fallacy. Come on, Bobby. Opinions can't be inaccurate, and sales don't disprove opinions.
2. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 4:19pm Thrax No, but the figures do show that most people blatantly disagree. Opinions can't be wrong, but they can be misguided. ;)
3. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 4:28pm UPSLynx Did you buy the game? Have you played it extensively? Still think the same way?
   
   You're wrong.
   
   The game is bigger than the original. There are many new gameplay modes. There are scores of new weapons and items. Four totally new campaigns with new play mechanics, pacing, and intensity. Re-tooled AI director that does more than zombie placement, but also weapon placement, world entity placement, weather effects, and more. Completely redesigned gore system. New matchmaking systems. New in-game assets and models - no entities were re-used, returning zombie types were re-skinned and modeled.
   
   That is quite the expansion pack.
   
   Everyone is so quick to bark at Valve for releasing a new game in a single year's time. Why? Is it because we've become accostomed to 'Valve time'? If they don't take 3/6/10 years to develop a game, it's a ripoff? Even if they plan on supporting both the new and old products?
   
   It is no different than a yearly call of duty, or Prince of Persia, or any other franchise that produces yearly products. People don't complain about those titles. But Valve tries it ONCE, and everyone becomes indignant. How dare they break their cycle of multi-year development cycles.
   
   To assume a one year development cycle means a shoddy, re-used product is ignorance at it's best.
4. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 4:54pm TiberiusLazarus Who let Lynx|rage out of his cage? Someone get the muzzle and get those tranquilizer darts ready. This one's gonna be hard to drop.
5. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 5:24pm Gargoyle This thing were everybody's right and arguing different points happens on the Internet all the time.
   
   In other news, the UK seems to be all about online petitions. I wonder what the implications are for that.
6. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 6:40pm _k_ Bobby have you played the game a lot because the AI director isn't as revamped as you think. The demo easily showed that if a team strings out over a map they can easily block the AI director from spawning common over the map. The director used to spawn pills, med-packs, weapons, and supplies in different locations or not at all before until they limited it. Though it seems they have corrected the lop sided nature of the director so that both teams get the same resources now just generally not spawned in the same locations.
   
   I don't BELIEVE anyone has spent time saying that there is not enough content to justify a second game. Though the weapon ammunition changes are really strange, boomer nerf sucks, few decent hunter pounce areas(25s), common can't be damaged some times while getting up(old issue), and clipping issues with melee weapons.
   
   The game still feels really sloppy in accuracy to me, I went back and played a l4d game at a LAN and the quick twitch and accuracy that I was used to was still there and showed exactly how evident its lack in L4D2 was.
7. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 7:18pm Enganox Just so you guys know, it's possible to have an incorrect opinion.
   
   What if it were my opinion that the sky isn't blue? Would you agree then, that because it's my opinion, that I have the right to think that the sky isn't blue?
8. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 7:20pm shwaip I'm colorblind. The sky is gray.
   
   (ps, i'm not colorblind)
9. 
   1 Dec 2009 ~ 9:53pm BobbyDigi An allegation is not an opinion. An allegation is a claim of a fact.
   
   If you claim a fact that is not true, you are wrong.
   
   -Bobby
10. 
    1 Dec 2009 ~ 11:29pm Chip-Dapper I haven't played either installment of the left for dead franchise...
    
    But my opinion is that the second is lacking by comparison.
11. 
    2 Dec 2009 ~ 1:44am Snarkasm And you cannot have an opinion about the content of a fact. Facts are truth - by their nature, not opinion, for they cannot be debated or changed.
    
    And Chip, what are you basing your opinion on if you've played neither? Just wondering.
12. 
    2 Dec 2009 ~ 2:40am Shorty

    Gargoyle said:

    In other news, the UK seems to be all about online petitions. I wonder what the implications are for that.

    Hardly. That is the usual skewered BBC reporting.
    
    The e-petitions incentive has been operating for a number of years in the UK and so far has achieved nothing. It's a slick marketing campaign from the government to make the UK people believe they actually have a say. Trust me, we have about as much say as you guys do with your government.
    
    NIL.
13. 
    2 Dec 2009 ~ 1:19pm Chip-Dapper

    Snarkasm said:

    And Chip, what are you basing your opinion on if you've played neither? Just wondering.

    
    
    Absolutely nothing. I just wanted to join. I'm a joiner.
14. 
    2 Dec 2009 ~ 1:34pm Chip-Dapper

    Chip Dapper said:

    Absolutely nothing. I just wanted to join. I'm a joiner.

    
    Plus I wanted to illustrate the fickle nature of opinion. For kicks.
15. 
    2 Dec 2009 ~ 1:50pm Snarkasm I like the cut of your jib.
16. 
    2 Dec 2009 ~ 2:17pm Grimnoc

    Snarkasm said:

    I like the cut of your jib.

    
    Fantastic! One million bonus points to you for using this phrase.
17. 
    14 Dec 2009 ~ 10:53am Grimnoc

    Chip Dapper said:

    I haven't played either installment of the left for dead franchise...

    You sir, are a bloody liar.
18. 
    14 Dec 2009 ~ 12:02pm Chip-Dapper

    Grimnoc said:

    You sir, are a bloody liar.

    I have played either near enough to draw any sort of conclusion as to their quality. Not reliably, at least.
19. 
    14 Dec 2009 ~ 12:30pm Grimnoc

    Chip Dapper said:

    I have played either near enough to draw any sort of conclusion as to their quality. Not reliably, at least.

    You have played either? Hmmm? HMMMMMMMMMMMMM?
20. 
    14 Dec 2009 ~ 12:35pm Chip-Dapper

    Grimnoc said:

    You have played either? Hmmm? HMMMMMMMMMMMMM?

    Sir, is that meant to correct my diction ("neither" would have been a more apt choice), or are you calling the truth of my statement into question?
    
    I will paint this town red with your injun blood either way.