When Left 4 Dead 2 was first released, many fans bristled at the fact that it was coming just a year after the original game. But even after a decade of innovations that other developers could bring to the genre, its best version might still be Left 4 Dead 2 with a few minor upgrades. At E3 2021, and in the weeks after, studios and publishers have announced nearly half a dozen games inspired by Valve’s co-op shooter. Nearly 12 years after the release of Left 4 Dead 2, the genre it popularized has crossed back into the spotlight.
