History Trivia / Left4Dead

* BadExportForYou: The German version of the game is censored for violence, and is more difficult as a result (you can't tell if a Hunter is on fire because the flames would be censored, and you can't tell if a common infected is dead or not because it's not dismembered) so a number of weapons are ported from ''VideoGame/CounterStrike Source'' to make up for it. The Australian version of the game is also censored, but they don't get bonus weapons.

* PortingDisaster: Since Taito discontinued the online servers and general availability for ''Left 4 Dead: Survivors'' in 2017, "The Last Stand" was the only campaign that is not available for the Japanese arcade port, this also includes the update itself that adds the previously German-exclusive ''Counter-Strike: Source'' weapons, two new melee weapons, and the ''Left 4 Dead'' Common Infected in the original ''Left 4 Dead'' maps.

* ApprovalOfGod: Valve ''love'' community made content and share it whenever they can. For specific examples, the most recent update to the second game included "The Last Stand" as well as 20 fan-made survival maps, Cold Stream has been available for years now, and while they never published the fan map "Dead Before Dawn" themselves, they did give the development team a unique clip of Francis saying "I hate malls" for them to use.

* GameMod: Being a Source-engine game, there was the obligatory deluge of custom campaigns and replacements for models and sounds.
** Left 4 Dead in fact originated as a special game setup for ''VideoGame/CounterStrike'' (bots with knives only), which itself originated as a mod for VideoGame/HalfLife1.

* TheDanza: Rochelle is voiced by Creator/RochelleAytes.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: So much that it has its [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/Left4Dead own page]].

* AscendedFanon: During the development of ''Left 4 Dead 2'', Valve noticed that the community loved [[StuffBlowingUp making things explode]] and wanted more like it, so they tossed in the Grenade Launcher just for that.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Although the line "WHOO! BUMPER CARS!" is often misattributed to Francis thanks to popular VideoGame/GarrysMod videos, he never actually says that in either of the games. The voice clip used in those videos is actually that of Mattias Nilsson from ''VideoGame/{{Mercenaries}}'' (voiced by ''Creator/PeterStormare'') who bears a striking resemblance to Francis and vice-versa.

* DummiedOut: The "fallen survivor" uncommon infected, which was brought back (albeit with a very different ability) in ''The Passing.'' Many survivor dialogue lines are also in the game's files but are not used unless enabled by modding.

* DummiedOut: The "fallen survivor" uncommon infected, which was brought back(albeit with a very different ability) in ''the Passing.'' Many survivor dialogue lines are also in the game's files but are not used unless enabled by modding.

* ActorExistenceLimbo: Bill got this, and was later McLeaned, since Bill's voice actor, Jim French, had a busy schedule and had no time to provide new lines for the character. This caused Bill to be KilledOffForReal in The Passing DLC. Valve then reversed the trend by creating The Sacrifice DLC, a campaign that shows how Bill (or any survivor of your choice) meets their end. This time, French returned and provided new lines for The Sacrifice. Eventually averted when French passed away in 2017, several years after Valve stopped updating the game. However, in 2020, they released the Last Stand DLC, with a brand-new campaign for the original Survivors, employing previously unused voice clips to allow them to react to the map and tell a story the same way they do with all the other maps.

** In a neat bit of [[RecursiveAdaptation recursion]], most censored international versions of ''Left 4 Dead 2'' allow players to use weapon models cribbed from ''VideoGame/CounterStrike: Source'' (the knife, [=MP5=], 552 Commando, Scout and AWP), as a sort of apology for the censorship. Then ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' returned the favor by cribbing several models from ''[=L4D2=]'' for its arsenal (the Glock, Desert Eagle, MAC-10, and AK-47). [[UpToEleven And then]], the ''CSGO'' AK-47 and Desert Eagle were added to the game with the The Last Stand update as possible weapon skins, as can be seen in the eponymous campaign in a foot locker seen right before the finale.

* PortingDisaster: Since Taito discontinued the online servers and general availability for ''Left 4 Dead: Survivors'' in 2007, "The Last Stand" was the only campaign that is not available for the Japanese arcade port, this also includes the update itself that adds the previously German-exclusive ''Counter-Strike: Source'' weapons, two new melee weapons, and the ''Left 4 Dead'' Common Infected in the original ''Left 4 Dead'' maps.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Although the line "WHOO! BUMPER CARS!" is often misattributed to Francis thanks to popular VideoGame/GarrysMod videos, he never actually says that in either of the games. The voice clip used in those videos is actually that of Mattias Nilsson from ''VideoGame/{{Mercenaries}}'' who bears a striking resemblance to Francis and vice-versa.

** ''VideoGame/PAYDAYTheHeist'' is basically "''Left 4 Dead'' as a crime simulator" - which Valve and Overkill have run with, going so far as to make a mission for ''PAYDAY'' actually set in Mercy Hospital.
** ''VideoGame/TheEndTimesVermintide'' is just as blatantly influenced as ''Payday'', with the special enemies, inventory slots and health mechanics practically copy-pasted from ''Left 4 Dead''. Again, critics mostly agree that this isn't a bad thing.
** There is also ''VideoGame/WorldWarZ2019'', which is also a co-op squad shooter set in a ZombieApocalypse.

* PortingDisaster: Since Taito discontinued the online servers for ''Left 4 Dead: Survivors'', "The Last Stand" was the only campaign that is not available for the Japanese arcade port, this also includes the update itself that adds the previously German-exclusive ''Counter-Strike: Source'' weapons, two new melee weapons, and the ''Left 4 Dead'' Common Infected in the original ''Left 4 Dead'' maps.

* ActorExistenceLimbo: Bill got this, and was later McLeaned, since Bill's voice actor, Jim French, had a busy schedule and had no time to provide new lines for the character. This caused Bill to be KilledOffForReal in The Passing DLC. Valve then reversed the trend by creating The Sacrifice DLC, a campaign that shows how Bill (or any survivor of your choice) meets their end. This time, French returned and provided new lines for The Sacrifice.
** Eventually averted. French passed away in 2017, several years after Valve stopped updating the game. However, in 2020 they released the Last Stand DLC with a brand-new campaign for the original Survivors, employing previously unused voice clips to allow them to react to the map and tell a story the same way they do with all the other maps.

* PropRecycling: In a neat bit of [[RecursiveAdaptation recursion]], most censored international versions of ''Left 4 Dead 2'' allow players to use weapon models cribbed from ''VideoGame/CounterStrike: Source'' (the knife, [=MP5=], 552 Commando, Scout and AWP), as a sort of apology for the censorship. Then ''Counter-Strike: Global Offensive'' returned the favor by cribbing several models from ''[=L4D2=]'' for its arsenal (the Glock, Desert Eagle, MAC-10, and AK-47). [[UpToEleven And then]], the ''CSGO'' AK-47 and Desert Eagle were added to ''The Last Stand'' as possible weapon skins in a foot locker seen right before the finale!

** The Last Stand's first stage inexplicably features VAZ-like cars with Russian license plates taken from an asset pack the map maker use.

* BadExportForYou: The German version of the game is censored for violence, and is more difficult as a result (you can't tell if a Hunter is on fire because the flames would be censored) so a number of weapons are ported from ''VideoGame/CounterStrike''. The Australian version of the game is also censored, but they don't get bonus weapons.

** High Voltage Software's ''The Grinder'' looked to several people like "''Left 4 Dead'' Wii" upon its first announcement. It's still an FPS on the Wii, but the Xbox 360 and [=PS3=] versions have changed formats to a top-down shooter, making it more like a SpiritualSuccessor for High Voltage's own ''VideoGame/HunterTheReckoning''.

** There is also ''VideoGame/WorldWarZ2019'' and VideoGame/Back4Blood, which are also co-op squad shooters in a ZombieApocalypse.

** Tired of waiting for ''Left 4 Dead 3''? Then try ''VideoGame/WorldWarZ2019'', which is also a co-op squad shooter in a ZombieApocalypse.

* ActorExistenceLimbo: Bill got this, and was later McLeaned, since Bill's voice actor had Jim French such a busy schedule and had no time to provide new lines for the character. This caused Bill to be KilledOffForReal in The Passing DLC. Valve then reversed the trend by creating The Sacrifice DLC, a campaign that shows how Bill (or any survivor of your choice) meets their end. This time, French returned and provided new lines for The Sacrifice.

* IKnewIt: Many expected that Left 4 Dead will ''not have'' a 3rd game/2nd sequel (courtesy of Valve) as the game's developer, Turtle Rock Studios, had announced a SpiritualSuccessor named ''VideoGame/Back4Blood''.

* TheDanza: Rochelle is voiced by Rochelle Aytes.

* AscendedGlitch: The infamous Sugar Mill wasn't always filled with Witches, it was just the result of a programming error that the developers ended up liking due to the challenge.