- Games
- Left 4 Dead 2
Left 4 Dead 2
Four survivors shoot through zombie crowds and pull each other out of trouble on the way to rescue.
Online co-op for up to 4 players and split-screen co-op.
- 4 online
- Split-screen
Where to buy
Playing together
- Online co-op4 players
- Local co-opYesSplit screen
- Not confirmedFriends on different platforms, such as PC and PlayStation, can play together.
- Not confirmedA friend can join or leave while you are already playing, without starting over.
- Not confirmedFriends play free with a Friend's Pass or similar.
- Steam DeckVerifiedValve's own rating
About the game
You cross the American South with a group of survivors, moving through streets, swamps and abandoned buildings while infected crowds close in. You shoot, shove and swing melee weapons to keep a route open. Special infected can grab a survivor or force the group apart. Supplies and enemy attacks change between attempts, so a familiar campaign can still put you under pressure.
Up to four players work through the online campaigns together. You cover someone who is healing, share supplies and turn back when a friend gets caught. The survivors have their own voices and jokes, but the fighting carries the session. It suits a group that enjoys repeated escapes and learning to stay together when a plan collapses.
How it feels
Kind of game
A team takes on missions or runs full of enemies. You pick gear, cover each other and pick each other up.
- At its heart
- A big part
- Now and then
- Laughter and chaos
- Story
- Time to hang out
- Exploring
- Planning ahead
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- About
- Zombies
Rated on our own feel scale. 3 sources back these ratings.
Screenshots
From the Steam store page. Open one to see it full size.
If you liked Left 4 Dead 2
You will probably enjoy these too. Each one says why.
Left 4 Dead
Why it scores 98%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- Core to both
- Tension and danger, Fighting
- About
- Zombies
- Notable in both
- Fear, Working in sync, Getting better
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
- 4 online
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both keep you on edge. Both are about zombie outbreaks.
No big difference from Left 4 Dead 2.
Back 4 Blood
Why it scores 90%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- Core to both
- Tension and danger, Fighting
- About
- Zombies
- Notable in both
- Working in sync, Getting better
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How Back 4 Blood differs
- More to unlock than Left 4 Dead 2
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both have a lot of fighting side by side. Both keep you on edge.
But more to unlock than Left 4 Dead 2.
World War Z
Why it scores 85%
What they share
- Kind of game
- Squad shooter
- About
- Zombies
- Core to both
- Fighting
- Notable in both
- Working in sync, Tension and danger, Getting better
- Sessions
- Repeatable runs
- Co-op
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
How World War Z differs
- More to unlock than Left 4 Dead 2
- No local co-op
- 4 online
- Crossplay
Both send your squad into fights where you watch each other's backs. Both play in runs or missions you repeat. Both are about zombie outbreaks.
But more to unlock than Left 4 Dead 2.
All co-op facts
Last checked 24 October 2026. The small numbers link to the page that states each fact.
Co-op
- Fewest players online
- Not confirmed
- Most players on one screen
- Not confirmed
- Separate-device co-op
- Not confirmed
- Most players on separate devices
- Not confirmed
- Free base co-op
- Not confirmed
- Confirmed free setups
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay
- Not confirmed
- Crossplay between
- Not confirmed
- Friends can join mid-game
- Not confirmed
- Only one of you needs to buy it
- Not confirmed
- Voice chat by distance
- Not confirmed
Sources
9 pages
l4d.comOfficial site, read 24 October 2026
Backs Online co-op, Most players online, Local co-op, Split or shared screen, Genres, About, Story, Sessions.
- Online co-op: Valve describes a cooperative FPS for friends.
- Most players online: Four survivors form the cooperative team. The Xbox online co-op listing also gives four.
- Local co-op: Valve explicitly supports split-screen in the Xbox 360 version.
- Split or shared screen: The official feature list calls the Xbox 360 mode split-screen.
- Genres: Valve calls the game cooperative action horror and an FPS.
- About: The setting is a zombie apocalypse with infected creatures hunting the survivors.
- Story: There are named survivors, dialogue and linked campaigns.
- Sessions: The Director changes enemies and routes across repeated campaign attempts.
store.steampowered.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Platforms, Release status.
- Steam app ID: The product is app 550 and offers the base game.
- Platforms: The current requirements list Windows and Linux. The Mac version from 2010 is no longer listed. Xbox comes from the Xbox store page.
- Release status: The product has a release date and an Add to Cart option.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam app ID, Release status.
- Steam app ID: Steam identifies Left 4 Dead 2 as app 550.
- Release status: The public product data marks the game as released.
store.steampowered.comStore data, read 24 October 2026
Backs Steam Deck.
- Steam Deck: Valve rates the game Verified on Steam Deck.
xbox.comStore page, read 24 October 2026
Backs Most players online, Platforms.
- Most players online: The Xbox capability list gives online co-op for two to four. The local co-op and local multiplayer labels disagree, leaving the local maximum unclear.
- Platforms: The exact game listing confirms Xbox One and Xbox Series playability through backward compatibility with the Xbox 360 release. New digital purchase is unavailable.
l4d.comOfficial news, read 23 October 2026
Backs Platforms.
- Platforms: Valve announced the full Linux release on July 2, 2013.
destructoid.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Kind of game, Working in sync, Tension and danger, Fighting, Getting better, Exploring, Time to hang out.
- Kind of game: Destructoid, November 17, 2009, describes covering backs, sharing health and reviving teammates.
- Working in sync: The review makes staying close and rescuing others central to success.
- Tension and danger: The review finds substantial pressure even on Normal, including difficult finales.
- Fighting: Shooting, shoving and melee attacks fill the campaign.
- Getting better: The review describes tougher infected and events that require practice.
- Exploring: Campaign routes pass through different environments and supply locations.
- Time to hang out: Destructoid, November 17, 2009, centres communication on supplies, rescue and covering teammates.
gamesradar.comPress, read 24 October 2026
Backs Fear, Laughter and chaos, Planning ahead.
- Fear: GamesRadar, November 17, 2009, describes frightening infected and a threatening atmosphere.
- Laughter and chaos: The review singles out Ellis and his stories. Humour is present, but panic alone does not establish funny failure.
- Planning ahead: Changing weapon drops and enemy attacks affect the team response.
l4d.comOfficial news, read 24 October 2026
Backs Release date.
- Release date: Valve's November 16, 2009 announcement says the complete game is already live globally on Steam. November 17 is North American retail, not the first full digital release.