March 4th, 2010 @ Sway Bar, London
UK studios converge to battle over who's the cleverest - have you booked your place yet?
Thursday April 22nd, 2009 @ The Brewery, London
The countdown to the MCV Awards 2010 has begun – with date, venue and categories announced.
July 14th, 2010 @ The Hilton Metropole, Brighton
The Develop Industry Excellence Awards is the only event which rewards the work done by Europe’s leading games development companies.
Washington-based developer on the receiving end of unfamiliar anger from fans
Acclaimed developer Valve is facing an unfamiliar problem; its fans are not happy.
At Microsoft’s strong press conference at E3 last week, Valve announced it is working on a sequel to the 2008 hit survival-horror-co-op game Left 4 Dead.
Presumptions that Valve’s fan base would be pleased with the announcement have, however, backfired.
Aggrieved that the developer has focused its efforts on a new product, a large group of members from the Valve community have set up athe Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott Group on Steam, Valve’s online games portal and community service.
The Boycott group has gained over 15,000 members in a single week, and pledges that its members will not be purchasing Left 4 Dead 2 unless some drastic decisions are made.
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When the petition group’s membership reached 5,000 virtual signatures, one Valve user wrote “it's no surprise that the Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott has already reached over 5,000 members. We are all quite disappointed in Valve with their decision to launch L4D2 so soon after the original release of L4D1. The chat room has become full of people voicing their opinions on this.”
Members of the boycott group allege that Valve’s commitment to a sequel will mean its focus on the original Left 4 Dead will be compromised.
Those joining the group have, by extension, committed themselves to the Left 4 Dead 2 Boycott’s manifesto, which believes that “the release of Left 4 Dead 2 as a stand-alone sequel will split the communities and decrease the quality of multiplayer gaming”.
The group states that Left 4 Dead 2 “does not warrant a stand-alone, full-priced sequel and should instead become updates (free or otherwise) for Left 4 Dead.” It adds that the original Left 4 Dead has not enjoyed “the support and content which Valve has repeatedly stated will be delivered”.
The group’s manifesto has committed to “holding Valve to its promise of free, continual updates to Left 4 Dead in order to build and sustain the community”, to keep the Left 4 Dead community together “in order to improve the quality of online gaming”, and to “support the model of continual updates Valve has set forth with its staple products like Team Fortress 2.”
Though acknowledging that Valve needs to release product to sustain itself comercially, the group doesn’t easily recognise that the developer has a desire to create games which interest and excite its fleet of designers, programmers, artists and animators. Instead it states that the release of Left 4 Dead 2 will “make Left 4 Dead an obsolete purchase and inferior piece of software after only one year since release”.
Valve has revolutionised PC gaming with its online games service, Steam. Since the company launched in 1996, it has continually developed lucrative and applauded series of games such as Half-Life. The company also was a pioneer of sorts with its engagement with the community. Gabe Newell, the company’s founder, still pledges to read every email sent to him by fans of the company.
A Valve representative could not be reached at the time of going to press.
I guess it is a bit harsh, but I still maintain that internet petitions are only good for laughing at.
As the article suggests, if there was any developer that listens to fans and really, really wants to make them happy; its Valve.
Though I probably won't buy L4D2 because I'm still loving the first one, I'm certainly not signing this petition.
Gamers have no idea how lucky they are these days.
Gamers may have no idea how lucky they are but it cuts both ways. I have yet to see a media outlet recognise that many of Valve's most successful titles were community created in the first place. This has been a symbiotic relationship at its best with titles such as Team Fortress, Counter Strike and Day of Defeat not even originating at Valve. This is a betrayal of the loyalist community that has come to expect Valve to relate to it in a certain way that has been healthy for all.
Firstly, Valve had the guts to sign up these kids, and the wisdom to look for them. Nebarcular Drop was a great idea and Valve allowed these kids to make a magnificent title in Portal.
You don't see that in any other studio and I think it's sad that therefore this means Valve owes the community something else as well as great games. It makes a ton of games for them, listens to everything they say, and never, never overlooks the importance of quality.
Just think of the life-changing moments for Valve (Steam, Half-Life, Left 4 Dead). None of it involved the community!
You people owe Valve, they have singlehandedly kept PC gaming alive and viable.
I honestly think that fans will always be this way until they''re finally placed at the design desk at a development house, when of course they'll suddenly go "oh, you guys are spilling your guts for us."
End of.
Yeah, I don't think they fully realise just how much work and money goes into the updates and new games. You can understand why the fans will be angry, but they shouldn't be.
For the most part, gamers have become spoiled whiny crybabies expecting to be spoonfed free DLC for every game. Get over it! Developers are under no obligation to release DLC no matter what they may have promised. Situations change. Given the state of the economy I'm no surprised they'd choose to release a new version rather than DLC. Would you rather see a new game or them go out of business? Vote with your $$$ and realize that online petitions aren't worth the paper they're not printed on.
l4d was a flat out scam...and valve can gf
To the author:
"Aggrieved that the developer has focused its efforts on a new product"
Nonsense. They'd be happy if valve was focused on hl2: episode 3.
Have you even read into why people are upset? They are upset that a lot of the content PROMISED for l4d1 is being changed to l4d2 instead.
One of the many stories on it before L4D 1 launch:
http://ve3d.ign.com/articles/news/41219/Left-4-Dead-DLC-Promised" onclick="window.open ( this.href ); return false;" class="comment_url" >http://ve3d.ign.co...mised
"Keeping on the online bonanza, writer Chet Faliszek said that Valve plans to get the DLC rolling much more quickly with Left 4 Dead than it has been able to for Team Fortress 2. Plans already in the works call for new campaigns, weapons, and boss infected (the game's zombie enemies). In addition, there were strong hints at a flamethrower coming not long after launch."
You can browse the net for other articles and they were promising another 4 campaigns at that time for DLC.
Now it turns out in another Chet Faliszek interview (he's a valve employee) the last couple weeks they've been working on L4D2 since release of the original, less than a year ago.
http://www.shacknews.com/featuredarticle.x?id=1138" onclick="window.open ( this.href ); return false;" class="comment_url" >http://www.shackne...=1138
"Shack: When did development on Left 4 Dead 2 start?
Chet Faliszek: Pretty much after Left 4 Dead launched."
And guess what kinda content L4D2 has? More special infected, more campaigns, more weapons. All stuff that was PROMISED for l4d1 DLC, and now is being put into l4d2 instead. Valve says there's more content coming for l4d1... but it turns out they call the matchmaking update new "content"
I don't have a problem with valve making money, but I do have a problem about them being dishonest about what is coming for the game. Overpromising and underdelivering always gets customers upset.
I joined the Steam Group... and here's why.
From Gabe Newell, speaking to Videogamer.com...
"So each time we've released one of those for Team Fortress 2 we've seen about a 20% increase in the number of people who are playing online. And that number is really important because it determines how many community created maps there are, how many servers are running, and so on. So we'll do the same thing with Left 4 Dead where we'll have the initial release and then we'll release more movies, more characters, more weapons, unlockables, achievements, because that's the way you continue to grow a community over time."
http://www.videogamer.com/news/valve_details_post_left_4_dead_launch_plans.html" onclick="window.open ( this.href ); return false;" class="comment_url" >http://www.videoga....html
I had heard the game was only releasing with 4 maps and 6 weapons, but that more would be added. I preordered the game because I had read that quote from Gabe Newell. I also talked friends into buying the game based on that it would have solid official support to grow the game despite having a very limited amount of content at launch.
For Valve to not deliver on any one of the promised additions (and I say promised due to there not being any "might" or "maybe" in his statement) is reason enough to make me not bother buying the "sequel".
Internet petitions are usually laughable because there's next to no threat of action behind the petition.
Here, however, we have a statement by fans of the first game (who are pretty much by definition EXACTLY the same demographic as those who would be buying the second game), and thus this petition carries a very high relevance.
The question here Valve has to ask is what proportion of the Boycott group is prepared to carry through on it's implied threat not to purchase the game.
The longer Valve takes to address the community's concerns, the more members this group will gain.
l4d has no script (single player) at all it's all about multiplayer and they sold it for $50.. you can get to the end of the game (all campaigns) in less than 6 hours...
5 campaigns
5 primary weapons
too much money for a way too short game.
btw valve promised on interview that they would add new content to the game like they were doing on tf2.
they lied.
Good grief, you'd think you guys got promised a pony for Christmas and then didn't get it. Do you not understand that promises mean nothing when business is the focus?!? I think Valve has treated its customers extremely well and given the economic times we're in their decisions to focus on a new game makes better business sense, so you cry babies should cut them some slack.
You're giving gamers a bad name! I certainly don't want to be associated with a group of whiny little brats. Grow up (assuming you're not all 8 year olds)! :(
Jim, Valve has treated it's customers good in the past. Promises mean a lot for buisnesses, not delievering on a promise lowers the companies reputation and if there was a contract it would be considered fraud.
The problem isn't that they went off to develop a new game, Left 4 Dead 2 is new maps and very slight changes to the original engine... but instead of packaging it as an add-on for the original, they are making it a seperate game which will fracture the current playerbase and servers.
It isn't an entirely new game and it's too soon after the launch of the original to shove a sequel out the door for the community to not be annoyed.
Left 4 Dead 2 is gonna smack it!!
but the content should have been fed to us via xbox live updates....
Not your typical Valve move to be fair..... i blame it all on Sony :)
IT IS A FREAKIN GAAAAMMMMEEEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You buy, you play, you finish, you sell. Repeat.
In all honesty, sometimes I wonder why I entered the games business, whether or not I should have put my time and efforts somewhere else.
But always, I only wonder these things when the community goes out and acts like total spoilt brats. It's embarrassing.
"You buy, you play, you finish, you sell. Repeat."
Clearly, this poster does not understand the community Valve has created with titles like TF2 or CS.
You buy, you play, Valve updates, you keep playing, rinse & repeat. And although Steam has huge upsides compared to disc-based games, there is no sell.
I love L4D, it's a very well-crafted experience. However, for me it's pushing it for a $50 title. Promises or not, I won't pay another $50 for what looks (for now) like a typical free Valve update would. Simple as that.
A very split room regarding this topic. As a fan of L4D since November, I tend to agree with the boycotters point of view.
For Valve to state that more content would be coming for a game, release it, then immediately start work on the sequel and put the content into that...frankly that's bordering on false advertising. What if someone released a free-to-play MMO (no monthly charge), sold it full price, then immediately dropped to bare-bones support and poured all the new content/updates into a whole new game to come 12 months later...uproar? I suspect so.
why all the valve hate, why cant we all boycot xbox live for thier poor game addon and laughable map/add related content. xbox has deserves far more discrediblity then valve, at least pc gamers get to mod the * out of thier games.
Look at the laughable addon for gears of war for xbox360, or for that matter halo 3, then suddenly gears of war 2 comes out. this is what companies do, its sad live
doesnt follow valve and start adding pc related mods
for thier 360 games. I remember 360 comming out saying
it would revolutionize with add on mods. 4 20 dollar
maps a game isnt going to revolutionize console gaming.
valve anti fanboys need to complain when complaining is due. be glad for the left for dead maps/mods you get.
"Though acknowledging that Valve needs to release product to sustain itself comercially"
This is because they didnt not plan for dlc/updates!!
Look at Rockstar and GTA4 they produced a mega dlc package (new cars, weapons, characters, story, multiplayer, achievements) and this was 'sustainable' because it was planned from the beginning.
Also valve suck because they arent doing anything for the PS3. Thats cutting out almost half the market share!! I know for a fact that its not that hard to convert the code to PS3 especially when its already done for the 360/PC
What facts are they that tell you that converting to PS3 is easy?
I know from experience, as do others that read this, that that is not the case at all.
All you have to do is look at games like Ghostbusters, where PS3 was even the lead platform, that getting stuff running to the same standard as the 360 is a pain.
Really, Mrs. A, you should really know that the PS3 console architecture is DRASTICALLY different from that of the Xbox or a Windows PC.
Most developers who try too hard to get the PS3 marketshare after focusing development on the PC/Xbox make ****ty platformers, hurriedly created in the last 2 weeks before a release, which leaves some of their cross-platform gamers hugely dissatisfied with the crappy platforming job.
While Valve is a big name in the game industry, they do not have a huge programmer team size like Microsoft, and so they have limited resources to do everything every one of the whiny gamers wish for. In fact, this is the case for pretty much every large standalone game developer that isn't a part of a much much bigger company like EA or Microsoft or Sony.
Valve released newer Counter-Strike's and Half-Life's while still supporting the older versions. I am sure you can expect the same for Left4Dead. Developers like Valve and Blizzard truly deserve to be trusted, they are not the kind to abuse their reputation, they know what it's worth. I may not buy Left4Dead2 until I've drained Left4Dead bone-dry (pretty close) and still haven't received any additional DLC. I'm sure the L4D team will release a satisfaction pack of DLC for L4D right around the L4D2 release. Valve needs our support.
I cant wait to buy L4D2. Boycotting it is just as lame as the attempts to organize a "gas out".
Buck up and spend the money. it wont hurt your wallet to at least have 2 games you actually paid for instead of illegally downloading them.
The main issue of contention in this debate is the proximity of the release date to that of the original.
After all the release date announcements for many games over the last few years it is highly likely that this is not when L4D2 will be released, the announced date is most probably a backfired marketing attempt by Valve.
Here's some simple math to silence you crybabies:
-I spent $30 to buy a new copy of The Orange Box, which includes 5 phenomenal games.
-I spent $60 on Left 4 Dead, a phenomenal game. That's a total of $90 spent on 6 great games, an average of $15 per game.
-I will spend $60 on Left 4 Dead 2. That's a total of $150 spent on 7 great games, an average of $21 per game.
-For $150, I could have bought just 2.5 games at normal retail price ($60), but instead I got 7 games. Normally, 7 games at $60 each would cost me $420. The money I saved ($420-150=$270), can go towards purchasing 4.5 new titles at $60 each ($270/60=4.5).
Hence, Valve is giving its gamers great value in the long run, if you would quit whining long enough to realize it. Move on.
