It’s been nearly a decade since Left 4 Dead 2 was released, and the game remains popular today. Many gamers are wondering if the game will ever be released for free.
Is Left 4 Dead 2 destined to be a paid game forever? Let’s take a look at the possibility of the game going free-to-play in 2021.
What Is Left 4 Dead 2?
Left 4 Dead 2 is a cooperative first-person shooter video game developed and published by Valve Corporation. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 in 2009.
The game is set in the aftermath of a global pandemic that has turned most of the population into zombies. The player takes control of one of four survivors, each with their own unique abilities. The survivors must fight their way through hordes of zombies in order to reach safety.
Why Left 4 Dead 2 Might Go Free-To-Play
There are a few reasons why Left 4 Dead 2 might go free-to-play in 2021.
First, the game is over 10 years old at this point. While it still has a large and passionate player base, the number of people playing the game has declined in recent years. Making the game free-to-play could help attract new players and bring back some of the older players who have drifted away.
Second, Valve is no stranger to making its older games free-to-play. The company has done this with several of its other titles, such as Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2. Given Valve’s history, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Left 4 Dead 2 could go free-to-play as well.
Third, there is already a free-to-play version of Left 4 Dead 2 available on Steam. This version of the game is called Left 4 Dead 2: Survival. It was released in 2012 and includes only the game’s survival mode. While it’s a stripped-down version of the full game, it’s still playable and enjoyable. If Valve were to release the full game for free, it would likely be based on this Survival mode.
Why Left 4 Dead 2 Might Not Go Free-To-Play
Of course, there are also a few reasons why Left 4 Dead 2 might not go free-to-play in 2021.
First, the game is still selling well. While the player base has declined in recent years, the game still brings in a decent amount of revenue for Valve. The company may not feel the need to make the game free-to-play in order to boost its popularity.
Second, Left 4 Dead 2 is a much more complex game than some of Valve’s other titles that have gone free-to-play. For example, Team Fortress 2 is a fairly straightforward first-person shooter. Dota 2 is a complex strategy game, but it’s easy to learn the basics and get into a match quickly. Left 4 Dead 2, on the other hand, is a cooperative first-person shooter with a lot of moving parts. It would be difficult to make the game free-to-play without making major changes to how it’s played.
Third, Left 4 Dead 2 has already been released for free on one platform: Xbox 360. In 2010, Microsoft released the game for free as part of its "Games with Gold" program. If Valve were to release the game for free on another platform, it would undercut Microsoft’s promotion and hurt its relationship with the company.
Conclusion
So, will Left 4 Dead 2 be released for free in 2021? It’s hard to say for sure. There are arguments to be made for both sides. Ultimately, it will come down to what Valve decides to do with the game.
