During this week’s PlayStation Showcase, one notable absence that caught the attention of fans was Naughty Dog. Many were expecting the studio to reveal more details about its highly anticipated Last of Us multiplayer game. However, Naughty Dog announced on Twitter that they have decided to give the game more time in development, leading to its exclusion from the showcase. This means that fans will have to wait a little longer to learn more about the title.
In their Twitter statement, Naughty Dog expressed their pride in the work done by their studio thus far but acknowledged that more time is needed to ensure the best possible outcome for the game. As a result, it is unlikely that we will hear significant updates during the upcoming Summer Game Fest on June 8th or on June 14th, which marks the 10th anniversary of The Last of Us’ release on PS3.
In a blog post from January, Neil Druckmann, the studio’s co-president and co-creator of The Last of Us, mentioned that they would offer more details about the ambitious multiplayer game sometime this year. This suggested that the game was not planned for release in 2023. Taking the necessary time to refine the game is a positive step for Naughty Dog, as they aim to avoid releasing a product that would benefit from further development, as was the case with the initial PC release of The Last of Us Part 1, which faced technical issues.
Following Naughty Dog’s statement, Bloomberg published a report citing anonymous sources who claimed that the studio is reconsidering the viability of the multiplayer project. The report mentioned that the game has not been canceled, but many developers have been reassigned to other projects. Only a small group of developers currently remains on the multiplayer project while Naughty Dog evaluates its next steps.
According to reports, Sony also approached Bungie, another studio under its umbrella, to evaluate Naughty Dog’s work on the Last of Us multiplayer game. Bungie reportedly expressed doubts about the game’s ability to maintain long-term player engagement. Bungie’s experience with the Destiny franchise likely contributed to their insights, although it is worth noting that Destiny and The Last of Us are vastly different games.
On a positive note, Naughty Dog confirmed that they have multiple games in development, including a brand new single-player experience. While it is known that the studio has been working on at least one other game, it remains unclear if this single-player title will continue the main story of The Last of Us. Naughty Dog expressed their eagerness to share more details about their projects in the near future.
During an interview with Kinda Funny in March, Druckmann mentioned the fans’ desire for The Last of Us Part 3 and revealed that the studio is already working on their next project. Although he did not disclose specifics, he mentioned that there was careful consideration of different options, and they ultimately chose the project that excited them the most.
The news of the delay and the shift in focus within Naughty Dog has left fans eagerly awaiting further updates on both the Last of Us multiplayer game and the studio’s new single-player experience.
