Turtle Rock has just released their highly anticipated 4v1 shooter, Evolve. And now that it’s out, we’re all wondering if the team has any plans to return to Left 4 Dead and expertly craft another entry. Assuming the title of this article hadn’t already done so, let me go ahead and dash those hopes right now. Turtle Rock co-founder Phil Robb quite clearly stated that the developer is “pretty much done with it”. You won’t be seeing them heading to Left 4 Dead 3 it seems.
That being said, the series has lived on in a new way. Evolve is not only a spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead in many ways, it’s an idea that predates the wildly popular 2008 co-op shooter. Looking back at L4D, Robb noted that the game “proved out the theory for Evolve”. If you and three friends ever went toe-to-toe with a Tank, you were unknowingly experiencing the 4v1 concept that was forming Evolve. Who knew we were all trying out Evolve Lite seven years ago.
Now, all of this doesn’t mean that a third installment for the cooperative zombie FPS is out of the question. Robb did point out that its existence is up to Valve at this point, reiterating that Turtle Rock has “gone off in [their] own direction.” So it would seem that our only option is to wait patiently until Valve decides to resurrect the series. Where do you stand on the uncertain status of Left 4 Dead 3? Do you believe that Evolve will scratch that itch? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, unless they contain a “Valve can’t count to 3” joke.
