Sequel-trouble steaming: Left 4 Dead fans signing up for a boycott of Left 4 Dead 2 on Steam

Usually, when a good title is announced to have a sequel, fans take it as good news. That’s not the case apparently for Left 4 Dead‘s (Xbox 360, PC) community base. Over at Steam‘s Community Groups, some 15,000 members (and counting) are calling for a boycott of Left 4 Dead 2, and with a lot of reasons to back them up. Not getting why they’re all so upset? Let them count the ways. After the jump that is.

Usually, when a good title is announced to have a sequel, fans take it as good news. That’s not the case apparently for Left 4 Dead‘s (Xbox 360, PC) community base. Over at Steam‘s Community Groups, some 15,000 members (and counting) are calling for a boycott of Left 4 Dead 2, and with a lot of reasons to back them up.

Not getting why they’re all so upset? Let them count the ways:

• Significant content for L4D1 was promised, and never delivered
• Valve put little faith in L4D1 since they almost certainly started working on L4D2 right after release
• The fact that L4D2 is nearly identical to L4D1 will decimate the community for both games
• The announced date is not nearly enough time to polish content or make significant gameplay changes
• The new character designs seem bland and unappealing so far
• L4D2 is too bright to fit in with L4D1Â’s visual aesthetic
• The fiddle-based horde music is extremely disliked, though the differently orchestrated music is otherwise welcome
• L4D2Â’s release will result in a drop in quality and frequency for L4D1 content, even compared to before
• The community has lost faith in ValveÂ’s former reputation for commitment to their games post-release

As someone who plays Left 4 Dead, probably that one reason that would make me agree the most would be the bit on the sequel being way too identical to the first game. If Valve will only make it like a different version of L4D1, then might as well just send the updates over, right? No need to make a “new” one. They did promise a hell lotta bunch, after all.

Although am thinking, a Part 2 could definitely be a great avenue for them to put new things to the table. Say, a new set of characters in a different town (but within the same timeframe as Part 1), maybe? So it’s gonna be something like a parallel, simultaneous event or something. Maybe they can even have the Part 1 team radio in a special “guest appearance”. And new special Infecteds. A more sensitive Witch, perhaps? One that gets startled by the noise around her as well (in which case they’ll need to include a new silencer gun too!)? Or an invisible Hunter?

Oh, the possibilities! Pardon me for getting carried away. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave this debacle for now and go slay a Tank.

• Left 4 Dead Authoring Tools beta now on Steam
• Survival Pack rolled out for Left 4 Dead, new pricing revealed *UPDATE* Steam Patch released
• Study finds that shooter games help sharpen vision

Via Steam Community