The Last of Us 2, multiplayer
For a long time now, players have been waiting for the multiplayer component of The Last of Us Part 2. Officially, we know little or nothing about the project, except that it was initially planned a few months after the launch of the base game, a sign that obviously Naughty Dog's plans have changed during construction, which is also suggested by the job advertisements published by the studio and the numerous rumors released in recent months. In the latest episode of Grubbsnax, VentureBeat reporter Jeff Grubb had his say on the online component of The Last of Us Part 2, stating that it will be a much bigger project than just "Factions".Factions, for the uninitiated, was the multiplayer component of the first The Last of Us, centered on three PvP modes where the outcome of the clashes influenced the fate of the faction chosen by the players. It wasn't enough to win matches to ensure the well-being of your clan, but it was also necessary to complete some random missions, with big penalties in case of failure.
In the podcast Grubb suggested to players not to expect a simple Factions mode in continuity with the one seen in the first chapter, but rather something bigger and therefore different. Furthermore, corroborating the rumors of the past month, the VentureBeat reporter expects that the multiplayer will be published as a standalone title, therefore unrelated to The Last of Us Part 2, representing one of the 10 live service games that Sony intends to publish within the 2026.
Obviously we are talking about unofficial information and therefore nothing has been confirmed. That said, in recent days the rumors related to The Last of Us series have intensified, for example there is also talk of a remake of the first game out this year on PS5, a sign that perhaps in addition to the smoke there is also of the roast. We'll see.
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The Last of Us Insider Teases Big New Game
We know Naughty Dog is working on three games, one of which we know is a multiplayer experience for The Last of Us Part 2, or at least that's how it started. According to a new report, the project has become something much larger than initially planned, which perhaps explains why it's been two years since the release of The Last of Us Part 2 yet we haven't seen anything of this mystery project.
The latest rumblings come the way of Jeff Grubb, an industry journalist, insider, and leaker. According to Grubb, the experience Naughty Dog originally envisioned is unlikely to ever release because the project has evolved into a much larger experience. Unfortunately, Grubb doesn't dive into any specifics. All he said is that PlayStation fans should expect more than just The Last of Us Factions or a simple multiplayer update to The Last of Us Part 2.
Grubb isn't the first source to share this information, but he is perhaps the most credible source so far. And for what it's worth, it lines up with the little we've heard, which was that a big portion of Naughty Dog is currently working on what will end up being a standalone Last of Us multiplayer experience.
For now, take everything here with a grain of salt. Everything here is not only unofficial, but even if these vague claims are accurate, they are subject to change as well.
'Even though The Last of Us Part II relishes in making players uncomfortable and reminding them characters can lose everything at a moment's notice, those bleak traits are part of the game's appeal even if the charm's a morbid one,' reads a snippet of our official review of The Last of Us Part 2. 'It's a monumental effort in storytelling and a model for tales of vengeance and repercussions pushed forward by gratifying gameplay, and while not everything you do will sit right with you, the game never leads players to believe the result would be anything different.'
As always, we will keep you updated as the situation progresses, whether courtesy of more information from Grubb or an additional source, or a comment from Naughty Dog or PlayStation.