Although many gamers continue to play “Left 4 Dead 2” – myself included – it’s no secret the game is beginning to feel dated by today’s standards. Valve acquired the rights to the “Left 4 Dead” name and produced its sequel in-house, but the corporation has barely touched the series since 2012. The game made use of Valve’s Source engine, which also provided the framework for hits like “Half-Life 2,” “Team Fortress 2” and the “Portal” franchise. Turtle Rock Studios created the concept for and developed much of “Left 4 Dead,” a critically acclaimed cooperative shooter pitting four survivors against hordes of mutated zombies.

Highlights included a return to the “Perfect Dark” series, which hasn’t seen a release since 2010 “It Takes Two,” an innovative cooperative platformer teasers for the next “Dragon Age” and “Mass Effect” installments and “Back 4 Blood,” which Turtle Rock Studios has advertised as a spiritual successor to “Left 4 Dead.” It was a breath of fresh air after a veritable drought of information on new games caused by the industrywide shift in workflow amid COVID-19 lockdowns. 10 also served as a platform for developers to announce upcoming video games.

I pay little mind to award shows regardless of the medium, but the Gaming Awards livestreamed Dec.