Is Payday Canon in Left 4 Dead?
The question of whether Payday is canon in Left 4 Dead has sparked intense debate among fans of the two franchises. While the two games may seem worlds apart, there are indeed connections and parallels that make exploring this topic fascinating. In this article, we will delve into the world of Payday and Left 4 Dead, examining the relationships between the two franchises and providing a definitive answer to the question at hand.
A Brief Background
For those unfamiliar with either franchise, Payday is a cooperative first-person shooter series developed by Overkill Software, while Left 4 Dead is a survival horror series created by Valve Corporation. Payday, released in 2011, revolves around a group of professional thieves who take on high-stakes heists, while Left 4 Dead, released in 2008, follows a group of survivors as they navigate a zombie-infested world.
The Connection: No Mercy Hospital
One of the most significant connections between the two franchises is the No Mercy Hospital, a location featured prominently in both games. In Payday: The Heist, the No Mercy Hospital is the site of a major heist, where the player must break into the hospital and extract a valuable package. This is where the story takes a turn, as the events of Payday: The Heist directly contradict the events of Left 4 Dead.
According to the Payday wiki, the events of The Heist take place during the early stages of the zombie outbreak, with the hospital still intact and staffed. However, this contradicts the events of Left 4 Dead, where the hospital is abandoned and overrun by zombies.
The Sacrifice and The Passing
Another crucial connection between the two franchises is the storyline of Left 4 Dead 2’s "The Sacrifice" and "The Passing". These campaigns take place between the events of the first two games, and feature a group of survivors making their way south to escape the zombie-infested world. In one of these campaigns, the survivors arrive at the No Mercy Hospital, which is now heavily damaged and overrun by zombies.
This raises questions about the timeline of the Payday series, as the events of The Heist take place before the events of The Sacrifice and The Passing. This suggests that the Payday series takes place in a separate continuity, one that is not directly connected to the Left 4 Dead universe.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while there are connections and parallels between the Payday and Left 4 Dead franchises, the No Mercy Hospital and the timelines of the two series suggest that Payday is not canon in Left 4 Dead. The events of Payday: The Heist contradict the events of Left 4 Dead, and the timelines of the two series do not align.
Key Takeaways:
- The No Mercy Hospital is a shared location between the two franchises.
- The events of Payday: The Heist take place during the early stages of the zombie outbreak, contradicting the events of Left 4 Dead.
- The timelines of the two series do not align, suggesting that Payday is not canon in Left 4 Dead.
Sources:
- Payday Wiki
- Left 4 Dead Wiki
- Valve Corporation
- Overkill Software