Following months of silence, Naughty Dog has finally offered an update on its ongoingThe Last of Usmultiplayer title. Not much has been officially revealed on what to expect from the project, though many have speculated it may be an expanded version of theFactions mode on the originalThe Last of Us. Now, with the studio’s latest update it’s unlikely fans will get a glimpse of the multiplayer anytime soon.
Players have long waited for an update on Naughty Dog’s project multiplayer title, most recently at this month’s PlayStation Showcase. While several gameplay trailers for the likes ofAssassin’s Creed Mirage,Spider-Man2, theMetal Gear Solid: Snake Eaterremake, and a host of others were revealed, theLast of Usproject was noticeably absent. Incidentally, it’s rumored thatSony might have been holding back with its PlayStation Showcaseevent. Following the mixed reception, Naughty Dog took to Twitter to update on theLast of Usmultiplayer project’s status.
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While it’s still in development, the project is getting delayed with Naughty Dog mentioning that it “realized what’s best for the game is to give it more time.” Although, the studio hasn’t shared details on the new timeline forThe Last of Usmultiplayer. However, Naughty Dog has stated that it’s also working on other games including a “brand new single-player experience.” It’s unclear what these are, but recent job postings suggest thatNaughty Dog may be finishing off its next big game.
As to why Naughty Dog has delayed its multiplayer project, one report from Bloomberg claims that it’s due to “quality and long-term viability” concerns. The report also mentions that Sony has slowed down development and that the team behind its efforts has been scaled back following an evaluation. Many of the game’s developers have been reportedly moved to other projects with the company currently evaluating the direction ofThe Last of Usmultiplayer.
Sony has doubled down on its live-service strategy in recent times with the PlayStation maker stating that it aims to release 10 titles in the category by 2026. Its recently acquiredBungie even unveiled a revived version ofMarathon, a strong indicator of Sony’s big bet on the live-service space. WhileThe Last of Usmultiplayer is set to be another ambitious live-service project for the company, Naughty Dog’s update suggests that gamers may have to curb their expectations. On the other hand, the fact that Naughty Dog is working on a new single-player title should be intriguing for many fans.
The Last of Usmultiplayer game is in development.
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