'Left 4 Dead 3' release date update: Game in development? Possible release set for 2017?

Nothing much has been said about "Left 4 Dead 3" ever since its predecessor was released in 2009. The seven-year wait is making fans antsy, and while the developers are keeping mum about its release date, the Internet has sent fans abuzz with excitement over speculations that it will finally be released in 2017.

According to Game n Guide, a Valve employee, Tristan Reidford, was spotted securing a folder in his computer aptly labeled "left4dead3." Fans spotted the folder while Reidford was walking video gamers through a tutorial for the "Destination" virtual reality (VR) platform on Steam.

Reidford has since taken down the purported leak, but the short time it was there was enough for fans to get their hopes up for a possibility that "Left 4 Dead 3" is now in the works. Some fans are likewise hoping that the third installment of the franchise will finally come out or be announced by 2017.

Talks are also rife that the upcoming installment of the anticipated game will be the first to use Valve's VR technology. Valve recently moved to a new and bigger office, and fans surmise the move was due to the company's focus on VR support.

In related news, some speculations suggest that "Left 4 Dead 3" will not be a follow-up to the second installment. Instead, it might be a prequel wherein players will get to meet those who survived the zombie attack first—Francis, Louis, Bill, and Zoey—and that new characters, namely Garrett, Keenan, Irvin, and Katherine, will be joining them.

With regards to the gameplay's location, there are speculations that "Left 4 Dead 3" will be set in a plantation. Apparently, that is based on a leak that came out in 2014. There are even talks that the plantation map will be closely related to the game's finale, something that Valve has not confirmed nor denied as of yet.

Meanwhile, keep coming back for more news and updates about the release date of "Left 4 Dead 3."