The Atrium

"Okay, So plan A is to find this car...Plan B is we stay in this mall and die."

- Rochelle

The Atrium has the Survivors collecting gas cans to fill a racing stock car in order to escape the mall in a similar manner to Scavenge Mode. After starting an elevator to get down to the car, the Survivors are immediately mobbed by hordes of Infected while trying to get gas cans. The number of gas cans needed is dependent on the game mode. In single player mode, the non-player Survivors will not attempt to fill the car up with gas as the AI never picks up gas cans.

Campaign
The Survivors start in a hallway with two bathrooms. Search these bathrooms, as they usually contain helpful items (i.e.; pills, adrenaline, defibrillators, and the occasional ammo upgrade pack). The hallways then lead out to an elevator on the top floor of the atrium, where the finale begins. Inside the elevator, Ellis will explain his plan of fueling up Jimmy Gibbs Jr.'s stock car, and driving it out of the mall towards New Orleans. The finale starts when the elevator doors open.

Depending on the game mode, the Survivors will have to get a certain number of gas cans: 8 cans in Single Player, 13 in Campaign or Realism (even on a local server with three bots), and 13 in Versus. In Campaign Mode, there is one can on the first floor, six on the second floor, and another six on the third floor (in Scavenge mode, there are 3 more cans on the 1st floor). Be very careful not to accidentally shoot the cans; this will destroy them, creating a giant fire and causing you to wait for them to respawn. One popular strategy is to throw the more remote cans over the railings down to the first floor. this will lead to quickly fueling the car in one go once all the cans are on the first floor. Because there are more than eight gas cans, you may shoot them to cause a fire, thus burning any Infected.

In addition, if your team is made up of all human players, work in pairs instead of as a group when throwing the cans down to spread out the horde and make the process quicker; the horde is focused on the center of mass of the Survivors, and pairing up will spawn the horde farther away and in fewer numbers. You can also buddy up--have one person watch your back for nasty Infected (i.e.; Hunters, Smokers, and the like) while you grab the cans and make a break for the car. If you are playing solo, the AI tend to follow you around (as they cannot collect gas cans).

A Tank will spawn after a set number of waves of Infected, so speed is of the essence. The bottom floor of the atrium is very open, so his rock-throwing ability can be very deadly if cover is not found quickly. Fighting the Tank on the upper levels can also prove deadly, as he can potentially punch you off higher levels. Molotovs and bile bombs can be found all throughout the level, so do not be afraid to use them on the Tank. If the Survivors are very desperate, they can destroy one of their fuel cans to light the Tank on fire. This is not a completely good tactic, as they will likely have to go fetch the can again when it respawns. You may consider using the can that spawns outside of the elevator for this, as it is closest to the car.

If you are under the influence of adrenaline, pouring a can takes half the time, so you may wish to pile up the cans next to the car, take adrenaline, and pour them all in one after another.

When the amount of cans needed is collected, the Survivors simply need to all stand on the podium the car is on to escape the mall. If they have one can left to get, they should only pour it when all the Survivors are near the car, as the final can will trigger the horde when it's poured. This means it is ideal to wait for everyone to stand on the podium before pouring the final can, as endless waves of Infected will spawn, complete with Tanks, that will never end until everyone is on the podium, or they have died, so better to wait until everyone is in the car first.

Note: Try throwing the gas cans on the 2nd and 3rd floors in front of the car so when there is a break between hordes and Tank attacks, fill the car then! If you need a few more, grab the easy ones and run.

Furthermore, AI Spitters will not attempt to destroy gas cans. Even if they incidentally hit a gas can with an acid patch, the can will not be destroyed (though the yellow aura will flicker like it would in Versus or Scavenge).

The Survivors
The Survivors can use nearly the same tactics as in campaign mode. The only major difference is that human-controlled Spitters will purposefully try to destroy gas cans dropped from higher floors.

Half and half

This method requires two players to cover each other at the car, while the other two go around collecting gas cans and throwing them down to the two players on the ground. One person can pour the gas while the other person covers them. This is risky when doing Scavenge or Versus, as a pair of Infected such as the Hunter, Jockey, Charger, or Smoker may ambush the two stationary Survivors before they get the chance to save the other.

All for one and one for all

This method has all Survivors travel together to collect gas. Two players will grab gas cans, while the other two take care of swarms. Once you collect a pair of cans, DO NOT throw them down! Walk down and pour them both in, then go collect two more. This is a good strategy for Versus or Scavenge games since it prevents the Spitter from igniting cans that have been tossed down.

Risky Procedures

This method has (like All for one and one for all) all four Survivors traveling together. However, instead of simply going downstairs and pouring each gas can in, the Survivors toss several gas cans down, fairly separated from one another, and once a few have accumulated (usually every can on a given floor) the Survivors go down and pour them into the car. This is exceptionally useful if the players know that they can defend themselves well. However, it is also extremely risky, as Spitters will become your worst nightmare. Be sure to have at least one skilled sniper in the group to deal with the acidic fiend. Another method requires everyone to go alone, collect gas cans, and toss them down. This is the riskiest proceedure to attempt because multiple things could happen to each of the Survivors.

The Infected
Boomers: When playing as The Boomer cause as much havoc as possible. Vomiting on those with gas cans could cause them to panic and drop their can. This could also lead to shooting the can. A popular strategy in this level is spawning and waiting either behind the car (or in the upper floor levels right behind it), waiting for Survivors to start pouring, and puking on them. If you happen to explode next to a dropped (yellow) can, your explosion will send the can flying away.

Chargers: DO NOT attempt to charge from a height, because you will fail. Attacking groups or loners, The Charger is always the best shot. There are a lot of straight hallways that the Survivors must travel through to get cans. Also, a Charger can break through the glass railings on the upper floors while he's charging. If he manages to charge a Survivor off these ledges, it can cause incapacitation or death. Charging a Survivor while he/she is pouring makes an easy target for a charge, seeing as they can't move for a few seconds while pouring. The Survivor also drops the can, and can potentially be very far from the rest of the Survivors.

Hunters: Aim for those with gas cans—they will drop them directly next to you, and any savior with a shotgun is sure to hit it. If a Smoker has somebody, pounce someone else, preferably the ensnared Survivor's rescuer. Also, if you stand on the fourth story ledge, just above the car, and you wait until a Survivor tries to pour a gas can inside, they are helpless for a 25+ point pounce.

Jockeys: Aim for Survivors on their own—these can be easily dragged into the many closets where hordes spawn. When attacking groups, aim for Spitter goo or attack in a pair, one Survivor will take massive damage. Try to get Survivors that are pouring cans into the car (they are usually by themselves), plus there is a chance they might panic and drop the can, which a Spitter can easily destroy.

There is a spot on the third floor, between the stairs from the ground floor and the pillar next to it, that does not have a railing and never has any glass. It is easy to steer a Survivor off this ledge, forcing them to hang from it until someone comes to help.

Smokers: Go to a high vantage point in the atrium and cause plenty of damage. Remember, you need to be able to run away and recharge after an attack. Alert a Hunter to pounce your prey's rescuer and wait patiently. Smoking Survivors that are pouring is a great way to buy more time, separate the Survivors, and expose a can to be destroyed.

Spitters: Spitters are very valuable in this level, as they can hide in the upper levels (specifically the 4th that only Infected can access) and constantly spit on the car or any other high-value target on the lower floors. Spitter goo can ignite dropped gas cans (the ones with orange highlights). This is an invaluable ability when Survivors are throwing down cans from upper levels, as this will greatly delay the time it takes them to recover more cans. There is a spot right above the car which can be used on Scavenge and Versus. Simply wait here and spit at those trying to fill the car; you do not need to aim much.

Tanks: Remember to use concrete for those pesky, fast Survivors. If on the second floor, whack your opponent over the edges. Note: Tanks don't spawn in Scavenge mode.

Scavenge
In this level you can use nearly the same tactics used in Campaign mode. Keep in mind that:
 * Unlike campaign mode, the amount, location, and types of supplies always stay the same. Gas cans are always in the same location, as well.
 * There are now 16 possible cans to collect. 3 are on the 1st floor, 7 are on the 2nd floor, and 6 are on the 3rd floor.
 * No Tanks spawn in Scavenge mode
 * All Survivors automatically start with a medkit and pills
 * There are 3 adrenaline shots on one of the kiosks in the safe area. These can prove to be valuable (as you run faster and can't be slowed down while carrying the cans), can revive teammates quicker, and can fuel the car quicker.
 * There are usually multiple items laying around the can locations (i.e. Pills, Molotovs, and even Tier 2 weapons)

Easter Eggs

 * The stock car and its driver are likely references Dale Earnhardt Jr., a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver who drives the 8 car and Richard Petty who drove a Dodge Daytona and a Plymouth Superbird in 1969-70, respectively, in NASCAR with the characteristically huge spoiler and blue paint.
 * The Uncommon Infected is Jimmy Gibbs Jr. himself. He is said to have 1000 health and will spawn, though only once and very rarely. He is immune to fire and covers your screen with motor oil like a Mudman with mud. The Survivors also have special lines when seeing his zombie.