The Last of Us 2 multiplayer – what we know so far

Time Stamp: April 16, 2022 8:43 AM

Almost two years after the game’s launch, fans are eagerly waiting for an update on The Last of Us 2 multiplayer and when it will finally arrive. The sequel may have been praised as one of the best PlayStation games of all time, yet there’s always been expectation that there’s more to come. Not only are gamers patiently waiting for a PS5 upgrade, they also want to know when Factions 2.0 will release.

For those who remember, The Last of Us launched on day one with a meaty multiplayer mode featuring a cluster of maps, modes, and an intriguing meta layer where your in-match performance would affect your survivor faction.

Favouring 4v4 skirmishes, there was a rawness to TLOU’s online play, having to scavenge and craft weapons on-the-fly, matches often ending with gnarly headshot or melee takedown.

The Last of Us 2 multiplayer – what we know so far

Popular even today, there’s definitely room to refine and expand that formula in The Last of Us 2 multiplayer. So, where is it? In the build up to the core game’s release, Naughty Dog confirmed that it wouldn’t launch alongside the follow-up chapter to Joel & Ellie’s post-apocalyptic saga. At the same time, the studio assured fans that the mode is still coming and that it would share details when ready. Well, it’s been nearly a couple of years now, with no indication of when multiplayer is coming, if at all.

It didn’t take long for speculation to fill the void, some rumours and theories more credible than others. Whether ramping up work on The Last of Us 2 multiplayer or another project, Naughty Dog is looking for talent specialising in online games. At the same time, Sony has been clear that its ambition is to publish more live service titles to accompany its stable of prestige PlayStation exclusives. It’s believed this is the primary reason why it acquired Destiny studio, Bungie, in early 2022.

There’s evidence to suggest that The Last of Us 2 multiplayer will be a standalone release, independent of the main game. Not only that, it could launch as a free to play title that is monetised via microtransactions. The studio’s careers page specifically references ND’s “first standalone multiplayer game” in its search for a Senior Monetisation / Economy Designer. As we’ve seen in the past, even great free to play online games can suffer from poorly implemented monetisation, either coming across as too greedy or failing to extract enough money from player’s pockets to sustain ongoing support.

ghost of tsushima legends iyo raid

Ghost of Tsushima: Legends.

In truth, this wouldn’t be the first example of a PlayStation exclusive having a breakaway standalone multiplayer component. Ghost of Tsushima Legends is currently available as a separate download for those who only want to engage with this surprisingly awesome co-op mode. Naughty Dog itself sold Uncharted 3’s multiplayer as a standalone release in 2013, even offering a free-to-play version (though this was admittedly capped to reaching level 15).

While we would have loved to see multiplayer at launch, it would have no doubt been compromised due to Naughy Dog’s focus on telling a story. There’s also a chance that it could have fizzled out by now, especially without the in-house talent to ensure its long-term success.

Although we take any rumours with a fistful of salt nowadays, it wouldn’t surprise us if the end product ended up something like this.

Of course, this would be much bigger in scope compared to an evolution of Factions and its handful of familiar competitive modes. However, nothing about The Last of Us 2 has been played safe. A more open, survival-focused multiplayer game sounds like the perfect kind of online experience to kick off Sony’s burgeoning live service efforts.

The hope is that we’ll get an update soon, whether during TLOU’s 10th anniversary or TLOU2’s second, even if it’s just a small announcement. Naughty Dog has been quiet for too long for the studio to sit out 2022 with no major news for fans.

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