Sometimes they come back: 'L4D' survivors join 'Left 4 Dead 2' add-on

For those of you who spent a year fighting for your character's survival in video game Left 4 Dead only to unceremoniously watch their existence disappear with the sequel Left 4 Dead 2, you will finally receive the closure you need in early 2010.

L4D developer has announced the first game add-on for the co-operative zombie-killing sequel, released in November, will be called "The Passing" and will bring the original Survivors to L4D2's Southern habitat.

According to Valve, the add-on "takes place just after the Dead Center campaign of L4D2. Set in a small town in rural Georgia, players assume the role of the L4D2 Survivors as they meet with the L4D1 characters," and "will include new arenas for Survival, Versus and Scavenge mode and introduce a new co-operative challenge mode of play. 'The Passing' will also include a new "uncommon common" zombie class, melee weapon, and firearm."

"'The Passing' will become the most important campaign in the Left 4 Dead story, as all the Survivors are being called together in one campaign," said Doug Lombardi, VP of marketing at Valve. "It will also be a huge offering of new gameplay content, with something new for every game mode plus a new uncommon common and weaponry."

This is big news for the zombie franchise, and a happy day for all of us still pining for Francis, Bill, Zoey and Louis.  See kids, sometimes they DO come back.