This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
[embed:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uakw5D69_Js&feature=player_detailpage ]
Apparently, the world ended with a heist.
In Payday's upcoming DLC, players will be hitting Left 4 Dead's Mercy Hospital, possibly in an attempt to steal a sample of the zombie virus from patient zero. The above video seems to show a single patient in an isolation chamber, someone possibly cutting the power to the hospital and a massive firefight in darkened hallways. Though details are still vague at this point, it's safe to assume all does not go according to plan, given that the virus later proceeds to ravage the human race.
The DLC represents a somewhat unprecedented collaboration between Valve and Swedish indie developer Overkill, which was recently acquired by Starbreeze. Most of the info revealed thus far about the project has come from the Payday Steam forum and Overkill's Twitter feed, but an official press release has yet to surface.
Payday's Executive Producer Bo Andersson has been a prolific, if somewhat evasive presence on the Steam forums, having initially hinted at the crossover in March saying, "We have begun doing something evil as well. Something SICK!" A month later, Andersson also let slip about the possibility of new zombie masks as well.
In a recent interview with PCGamesN, Valve developer Chet Faliszek said, "… I want to make sure that people don't think the prequel is coming. If that happens, then it will make this other thing we're doing feel uncool, when the thing we're doing is really cool. I mean, the problem is, if you make a rumour, and you can make the rumour anything, you're going to make the rumour really, really cool. And that makes everything else sound less cool."
The slow trickle of evidence became a flood with Payday's most recent patches introducing a wealth of clues to the game's existing levels, such as a set of Left 4 Dead health kits laying discarded in a corner, a portrait featuring a very Zoey-like young woman, and a poster referencing zombies. Steam forum users were quick to notice the references, with speculation settling on a Left 4 Dead crossover very rapidly.
Faliszek also e-mailed Kotaku today, saying "There is a little cameo from one of the L4D characters (the comic should give you a hint) and a fun little easter egg with a payoff later in Left 4 Dead." Could this be related to Valve's recent tweet about working with a familiar voice actor again? Left 4 Dead fans may remember in the comic companion to The Sacrifice campaign, Bill had a crappy time at a doctor's appointment.
The crossover itself appears to be mostly cosmetic, in that the Payday gameplay will remain the same while taking place in a pre-outbreak Mercy Hospital. Overkill has not stated whether actual zombies will make turn up in the new heist though it seems unlikely. Perhaps the Payday crew will receive some Left 4 Dead themed masks? In addition to the Mercy Hospital heist, the DLC, referred to by Overkill as the Wolf Pack, will likely include:
- 2 other heists, Undercover and Counterfeit
- 3 new weapons, an AK assault rifle, grenade launcher and machine pistol
- The Big Game Hunter crew bonus
- A deployable sentry gun
- New Technician upgrades and raised level cap
Overkill has stated that players who choose not to purchase the Wolf Pack can still play the new heists, but will be unable to personally host them. Whether the collaboration will also result in new content for Left 4 Dead remains to be seen, but it's possible something could show up in Valve's upcoming Cold Stream DLC, which has been extensively delayed. Hopefully Overkill will announce a release date in the near future. Regardless, this is shaping up to be some amazing content.
