Everything you need to know about Back 4 Blood

In 2019 Warner Bros. Games announced Back 4 Blood in a press release, and since then, we’ve gotten multiple looks at the game in various announcements as well as the Back 4 Blood open beta. Back 4 Blood is a title that zombie genre fans have been waiting a long time for, as it’s a brand-new, cooperative, zombie-slaying title by Turtle Rock Studios, the creators of the critically acclaimed Left 4 Dead series. It’s not a remake or a simple refresh of Left 4 Dead; rather, it’s a modern take on Left 4 Dead’s formula that includes fresh mechanical twists. Here’s a look at everything we know about Back 4 Blood.

Back 4 Blood is a brand-new, cooperative zombie-slaying first-person shooting title by Turtle Rock Studios, the same studio that created the widely loved and critically acclaimed Left 4 Dead games. Back 4 Blood is being published in partnership with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Turtle Rock Studios aims to bring the definitive next-gen co-op zombie shooter to players with Back 4 Blood.

Back 4 Blood story, gameplay and features

Like many zombie titles, the story takes place after a devastating parasite has swept the world, destroying humanity. Most people have either become infected or have been killed by the parasitic Devil Worm and have become zombie-like beings called the Ridden. It’s up to you to help rid the world of these monstrosities as part of a four-man squad called the Cleaners. You will no longer be looking for shelter to hide in, but instead clearing hordes of zombies to make areas safe once again.

Gameplay-wise, you will participate in the 4-player co-op experience that Left 4 Dead fans are familiar with. This can be done with other players or solo with AI companions, although the AI will naturally be much less effective. There is also an 8-player PvP mode called Swarm. In this mode, four players can take on the form of mutated Ridden while the other players play as the Cleaners. The Cleaners have to try to survive against the enemy players as well as the Ridden swarm, while the Ridden players need to kill them.

Both Back 4 Blood’s PvE and PvP feature a Game Director AI that adjusts the gameplay based on numerous factors, such as what weapons the Cleaners are using, how much ammo they have, what characters they’re playing as, and how well the Cleaners are doing. The Game Director can change what items spawn on the map, which types of zombies the Cleaners can encounter, and more.

Something that’s completely new in Back 4 Blood is the game’s card system, which allows players to create decks of cards that improve stats or player abilities (for example, one card might increase how much ammo you can carry while another will replace your punch melee with a knife). At the start of each round, players can draw a random card from their deck, but there’s a twist; the Ridden can use cards, too, leading to situations where some rounds feature more durable zombies, thick fog that limits visibility, and other hazards or hindrances. This system is incredibly dynamic and helps differentiate Back 4 Blood from its Left 4 Dead predecessors.

Overall, it sounds like Back 4 Blood is going to be one of the best co-op shooters we’ve seen in a long while, and we expect that it will definitely end up being one of the best Xbox shooters available.

Which platforms will Back 4 Blood be available on?

Back 4 Blood will be available on a wide variety of platforms. The game is currently slated to launch on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, PS5, PS4, and PC via both Steam and the Epic Games Store. Notably, Back 4 Blood preorders are live, and you can choose between the Standard Edition, Deluxe Edition, or Ultimate Edition.

When is Back 4 Blood coming out?

Originally, Back 4 Blood was slated to launch on June 22, 2021. However, the game was delayed, and the new launch date is Oct. 12, 2021. It’s possible that the game could be delayed once more, but we highly doubt it.

Is Back 4 Blood “Left 4 Dead 3”?

No, Back 4 Blood is not Left 4 Dead 3. Turtle Rock Studios wants to do something more than what Left 4 Dead is while still keeping that same core gameplay that fans love. The studio is working closely with the community to help shape this title, hopefully ensuring that fans will get a product they’ll enjoy. The developers at Turtle Rock have also taken it upon themselves to playtest the game almost every day and have been doing so since the third month of production.