Left 4 Dead – leaks that make leaks that make more leaks (pic: Valve)

In what may be a first, a leak of a so far unannounced game has in turn managed to leak a second game, as a new Left 4 Dead is rumoured.

Valve hasn’t confirmed it yet but it seems pretty certain that Counter-Strike 2 exists and is fairly imminent, not least because executables of the game are currently doing the rounds in fan circles, which trusted sources claim are real.

However, not only do the files seem to confirm that Counter-Strike 2 is real but they also have references to Left 4 Dead 3, which is the first time a sequel has been mooted in quite a while.

There’s not anything to go by other than some references to the name in the code of Counter-Strike 2 but that’s always proven to be a reliable source of information before, even if it’s usually just to reveal new DLC instead of a completely new game.

Left 4 Dead 2 is 14 years old now and while there have been frequent rumours of a third game the fact that they’ve never been proven true is not necessarily because they’re wrong but because Valve is notoriously for abandoning projects halfway through – which is why there’s never been a Half-Life 3.

The last rumour, in 2019, suggested a new Left 4 Dead VR game but there’s no indication that’s what is being referenced by Counter-Strike 2, indeed calling it Left 4 Dead 3 implies it’s a standard sequel.

The original Left 4 Dead was by Turtle Rock Studios, who Valve acquired early into development but are now independent again.

They weren’t involved in the sequel and in recent years there’s been some debate as to whether the game would have been the success it was without Valve’s help, especially after disappointing spiritual sequel Back 4 Blood.

There may have been no official sequels in over a decade but Left 4 Dead’s four-player co-op action has been copied numerous times, with many different themes. The originals are still popular though – the sequel got a new update as recently as 2020 – and a new sequel will no doubt be warmly welcomed.

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In what may be a first, a leak of a so far unannounced game has in turn managed to leak a second game, as a new Left 4 Dead is rumoured.