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Why a PS3 port of Left 4 Dead shouldn't happen
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It really is an excellent game.
There have been a few rumors floating about lately that there is consideration to the creation of a Left 4 Dead port to Playstation 3. One came in the form of a fake EB Games receipt, and the other a Best Buy preorder card.
This kind of thing is not terribly new. A great game comes out for other systems, so people wish and try to create rumors and whatnot to stir up the forlorn hopes of everyone else who wishes they could play the game. Bioshock was an example of this, although it did eventually get made. Mass Effect is another, although there are more rumors circulating that it will also eventually arrive on the Playstation system. Heck, there were rumors of Halo coming to PS2 back in the day.
Right now, of course, the game in the spotlight is, of course, Left 4 Dead, VALVe's latest Source shooter with solid design and fun, addictive gameplay (even if it is a little brief). Such a port would be a terrible idea.
Unless you've been sitting on your couch blindfolded and blasting Slipknot for the past several months, you may have noticed that the PS3 is taking quite a bit of a nasty beating from some of the more vocal gaming community. Heck, I myself expressed my disappointments.
Although it definitely appears that the Playstation and Sony are starting to turn the corner on this entire mess, the public opinion, at least here in the US, still seems to be nastily against it. Not least of that nastiness is, of course, the big cheese of VALVe, Gabe Newell.
Now, one fellow suggested that a port would regain some respect that VALVe lost due to the unfair treatment of the PS3. While this would certainly be the case, it would be limited to PS3 gamers who only play on that system. Most PC users are impressed enough with the extremely high standard of creation that VALVe has displayed in their work. Sure they take forever, seem grossly profit-minded, and occasionally bash random game systems, but they still make good games. They've only lost respect from PS3 gamers, and I doubt they really care much about that.
Also the Orange Box. Yes, it was ported, and that's exactly what it felt like. A port. Shoved out on to the stage half-dressed and still a little drunk, lazily shuffling its feet in a sorrowful dance that made the audience weep out of sheer pity. That's exactly the same treatment that a L4D port would get. Just like the Orange Box; no updates, no attention, nothing. Heck, even the 360 version still hasn't gotten the TF2 updates, do you think the PS3 ever will?
On the other hand, it seems conceivable that a PS3 port of Left 4 Dead would stay in the black and actually make a little bit of money. All other arguments aside, this is probably what's going to be the largest factor in deciding whether or not to do it. It's a great game, and PS3 owners would be thrilled to be able to have it.
However, at the moment, I hope that they don't, at least for now. The opinion of the PS3 should change within the next year or so, but as of now the system is only beginning to impress. I don't feel like it will be given a fair shot to actually be somewhere halfway decent and popular, or anywhere near as good, on the Playstation 3.
Also it doesn't hurt that I already own it on the PC.
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