- The Last of Us Multiplayer was in development for many years.
- This project recently suffered setbacks after it was put on hold and Naughty Dog went through layoffs.
- The game has been canceled, with Naughty Dog focusing on single player ideas.
Naughty Dog is one of the leading forces behind the current success of PlayStation. The studio is home to franchises like The Last of Us, but it has struggled in recent years.
Its online project based on this IP has struggled recently. With layoffs and the project supposedly being put on hold, many had doubts about the game ever seeing the light of day.
Sure enough, Naughty Dog confirms the game has been canceled.
Why it matters: This project was supposed to lead PlayStation’s live service plans. While most live service games would come from new teams, Naughty Dog is an experienced studio, making this online game a safer bet for PlayStation.
An Update on The Last of Us Online: https://t.co/nMUm7TmH9h pic.twitter.com/fmuXCLzDMB
— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) December 14, 2023
In a new blog post, the studio confirmed the sad news. While the director confirmed that work on the multiplayer title had not been stopped completely last month, Naughty Dog states that it has made the tough decision to axe development.
The studio’s overly ambitious approach and lack of experience with a sustainable live service model likely resulted in this demise. Even Bungie, the studio tasked with assessing this project, is struggling with its own live service game.
Naughty Dog elaborates that the project was scrapped since it would take away resources from the studio’s single-player titles. It confirms that multiple years of effort and a large team would be needed to support the game.
Therefore, the developer chose to focus on its strengths and go back to its roots.
Ending the blog, Naughty Dog states multiple single-player games are in the works. One of these is likely to be The Last of Us Part 3. This game has been heavily rumored in the past despite the lack of an official announcement.
The studio’s next release is a remaster of The Last of Us Part 2. This game will bring new additions and restore cut content, keeping a similar level of graphical fidelity as the base PS4 version.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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