For fans of The Last of Us franchise, news on the multiplayer spin-off is akin to a suspense-filled thriller: packed with a healthy mix of anticipation, expectation, and twists.
When The Last of Us Part 2 released, fans felt the glaring absence of a multiplayer mode. The Last of Us set precedent with Factions, which allowed players to explore an online world, post-outbreak. Naughty Dog, sensing the anticipation, hinted at a separate multiplayer venture set in the same universe. This satisfied fans eager to dive into interactions with factions like the Washington Liberation Front, The Seraphites, and the iconic Fireflies, even if it came later.
But in a world where video game development is as dynamic as their narratives, things took an unfortunate twist.
Enter ViewerAnon, a notable figure for revealing significant leaks. He asserts Naughty Dog has shelved the multiplayer spin-off, saying "It's dead, Jim."
Naughty Dog had apparently encountered internal challenges during the game's development. Most notably, a series of layoffs recently took place, with 25 employees from their Quality Assurance team given the boot. Concurrently, Naughty Dog's focus seemed to have shifted since. The rumors of a single-player title began to circulate, even as the multiplayer game's timeline was "only" pushed back, citing the desire for quality enhancement.
