The journey for the zombie shooter “Back 4 Blood” is over. Less than 2 years after the release, it is clear: the developers are stopping work on the game.
For many players, it was supposed to be the spiritual successor to Left 4 Dead. Others feared that it was like Evolve, which was not well received, and would be discontinued quickly. Now the developers from Turtle Rock have announced themselves: Back 4 Blood will not be further developed. They are done with the game and are now working on a new project.
Developers say goodbye, announce new project: In a rather small post, the developers behind Back 4 Blood explained that the game is now finished and that they will move on (via turtlerockstudios.com). It is stated:
Greetings, Cleaner!
What a fantastic year 2022 was for us. First, we want to thank all of you for making Back 4 Blood what it is today. With three expansions – Tunnels of Terror, Children of the Worm, and River of Blood – we have experienced a fantastic adventure together behind the walls of Fort Hope. This phase of our war against the Ridden is now coming to an end.
Turtle Rock Studios is actually a pretty small studio to develop big AAA titles. We don’t have enough people to continue working on Back 4 Blood while creating another game – yes, another game! That’s why it’s time for us to put our heads together, go back to the lab, and work on the next big thing.
Daring Cleaners, this is not a ‘goodbye’. (…)
While we will be a bit quieter in the short term, we promise we will be back – bigger, bolder, and better than ever.
Back 4 Blood has changed drastically in 12 months
When comparing the current version of Back 4 Blood with the original release of the game, a lot has changed. The controversial card system, where you gradually draw the deck (the “perks”), has been abolished. Instead, all characters start each round at full strength, and you can find additional perks during the campaign.
The three DLCs announced before the release have been released and expanded the game with 2 additional acts featuring numerous maps, perk cards, weapons, and new zombie variations.
Only the PvP mode could attract only a very small part of the player base. The rounds were too short, the preparation time was too long, and those who played with a random group were ruthlessly stomped by experienced teams. Back 4 Blood clearly fell short of the expectations that were hard to meet due to the popular “versus campaign” of Left 4 Dead.
Is Back 4 Blood “dead” now? That probably depends on the perspective. The servers of Back 4 Blood will continue to operate and the game will still be playable for the foreseeable future. However, there will be no new content, so the game is now “complete”.
In the subreddit of Back 4 Blood, the news is received rather negatively. Many feel disappointed and see a “second Evolve” that is being dropped way too early. Others, however, look positively to the future as the developers announced in 2021 that Back 4 Blood should become a “larger franchise”. This could mean that the next title from Turtle Rock Studios will take place in the world of Back 4 Blood.
Cortyn says: Since its release, Back 4 Blood has been one of those games that my friends and I keep returning to for a mission or two of the campaign on high difficulty. The job as a “Cleaner” has not become boring even after all this time, and the replayability remains high due to the “Corruption Cards” that make every run different.
It’s clear that it’s sad that Back 4 Blood won’t receive any further content. However, I don’t find it so bad when a game in times of battle passes, seasons, and constant new DLCs is simply “finished”. Whether one sees it as a “dead game” or simply a finished game that one can return to repeatedly, each person must decide for themselves.
Have you played Back 4 Blood?
