Steam President Gabe Newell Almost Didn't Let Left 4 Dead Have Zombies
According to a recent interview with former Valve employee Chet Faliszek, Steam President Gabe Newell did not originally want zombies to be a part of Left 4 Dead. The popular zombie-based shooter game series gained a spiritual successor in the form of Back 4 Blood last year, and with upcoming titles like The Anacrusis and Redfall also utilizing the game's co-op shooting gameplay, it's clear that Left 4 Dead has had a major impact on the gaming industry.
Left 4 Dead originally released in 2008, with the sequel Left 4 Dead 2 being released the next year. The games' emphasis on co-operative play has led to them becoming popular mainstays for YouTubers and streamers, and are now considered by many to be a staple of the survival shooter genre. The plethora of available weaponry, the potential for friendly fire, and the iconic Special Infected enemies have been hugely influential in the games' popularity over the years. The enthusiasm and staying power of the franchise's fanbase was perhaps best demonstrated by the development of the Left 4 Dead 2 update The Last Stand, which was officially released a full 8 years after the base game in 2020.
Related: Back 4 Blood's Ridden Beat L4D's Zombies In Originality & Potential
Looking at the sheer impact that Left 4 Dead has had, it seems strange to think of it as ever being anything other than a sure-fire hit. But according to former Game Writer for Valve Chet Faliszek, Left 4 Dead was very nearly a different game entirely, if it would even exist at all. Speaking in an interview for YouTube channel KIWI TALKZ (via VG247), Faliszek explained that Gabe Newell had found the concept of a game about zombies to be «cheesy,» especially in the wake of old films like Night of the Living Dead
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