Turtle Rock Studios, a name synonymous with the highly successful Left 4 Dead series, has been a staple of multiplayer co-op shooter games for more than a decade. The studio's rich history and unwavering focus on the genre, combined with its "vacancy" following Back 4 Blood's closure and the ambiguous language used in recent job postings, has sparked speculation among fans.
A recently uncovered job listing on Turtle Rock's website for a Senior Combat Designer fueled speculations. The listing has outlined the role's responsibilities and required expertise in areas such as "combat/weapons," "class design," "skills," "boss encounters," "mission layouts," and a love for "FPS, Co-op, and Multiplayer games." What's more, there's an emphasis on applicants having experience with "first-person shooting and melee" gameplay, which aligns with a Back 4 Blood sequel, at least in theory.
However, these are general areas of expertise in the field of game development, and therefore, the project could also steer in a different direction. One possibility is that Turtle Rock might venture into a Call of Duty or Halo-like design, creating a game with both multiplayer and co-op campaign modes. The only certainty we have right now is that whatever Turtle Rock is planning, it appears to be built on the lessons learned from Back 4 Blood and is intended to be more ambitious.