Most folks would probably say that a zombie-induced apocalypse is a thing to be stalled at all costs, up to and including the quarantine and sacrifice of entire sovereign nations. That’s true, of course, unless the cataclysmic event in question is in reference to Valve and Turtle Rock Studios’ frenetic survival horror shooter Left 4 Dead. Ironically, it appears the zombie infestation that people actually want to see happen has been delayed all the same.

Speaking to Dutch gaming site GameKings, Valve cofounder and managing director Gabe Newell revealed that Left 4 Dead is now scheduled to ship for the Xbox 360 and PC via Steam on November 20, two weeks after its previously announced ship date. According to Newell, the new launch date commemorates the 10th anniversary of Valve’s first major hit, the PC first-person shooter Half-Life.

Left 4 Dead is a survival horror game in which players must work cooperatively to fend off "the infected." Powered by Valve’s Source engine, the game is set in a modern-day America, where the remnants of a town attempt to blast their way through an ocean of zombies lest they become infected themselves. In addition to a four-player online co-op mode, the game features competitive play, where players can voluntarily cast their lot as part of the undead horror.

By Tom Magrino