The Last of Us multiplayer is being rolled back

The last of us
facts

News recently made the rounds that shook fans of the multiplayer game The Last of Us. Sony is said to have downsized the game’s Naughty Dog development team after scrutiny from platform owner and recently acquired studio Bungie. The multiplayer was originally planned to debut at the same time or shortly after the release of The Last of Us: Part 2.

high bloomberg The number of people working on the project was reduced, in part due to feedback from Bungie on the game’s quality and suitability. Bungie raised concerns about the multiplayer project’s ability to keep players engaged in the long term, which led to a re-evaluation by Sony.

The Last of Us: reboot for a multiplayer project?

Although the game was not cancelled, many developers stopped working on the project and turned to other projects. However, a small group is still involved as Sony reconsiders its direction for the game.

Shortly before the Bloomberg report was released, Naughty Dog apparently responded to the story, posting a statement on social media. The studio indicated that the multiplayer game The Last of Us required more time in development.

“As development progressed, we realized that giving the game more time was in the best interest,” the studio explained. “Our team will continue to work on the project as well as our other games in development, including a brand new single player experience.”

pic.twitter.com/DOeO8ZHSlh

— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) May 26, 2023

Sony is reviewing its live service projects

By the end of fiscal 2026, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) wants to release twelve different live service games. A decision that seems economically interesting, after all, titles like Minecraft, Fortnite, Warzone, and Co are the ones gamers spend most of their time in these days. The Bungie deal didn’t happen without a reason. The Destiny developers’ expertise is worth its weight in gold on this. After all, the former Halo developer has managed to build a multi-billion dollar business with his live service franchise.

Leveraging Bungie’s expertise and experience with its live-action gaming service, Sony aims to ensure that upcoming titles live up to gamers’ expectations.

The multiplayer title in The Last of Us universe isn’t alone in its criticism. The timing of this reveal is notable given the recent live service game he hosted deviation gamesa company powered by PlayStation, has been cancelled.

Despite the challenges and changes, fans are still hopeful that The Last of Us multiplayer will finally come with exciting features and an immersive gaming experience. As Naughty Dog continues to work hard to improve the project, fans will be eagerly awaiting more news and updates. But the editing window now looks further afield.