A little while ago fans were rocked with the news that The Last of Us Part II would not have a multiplayer mode, and that we might have to either wait for a multiplayer mode to be added in the future or it might not be released at all.
The notion currently going around is that Naughty Dog might cave to the fans’ demands and add in a separate multiplayer version entirely. Should this happen, there are both pros and cons that this possibility carries. In order to split the difference between the good and the bad, here are five reasons each we’re both glad and not-so-glad the multiplayer mode will be separate in The Last of Us Part II.
10 Glad: The Original Multiplayer Wasn't Great
There’s really no two ways about it - the multiplayer in The Last of Us just wasn’t that good. It mainly suffered in comparison to the incredible single-player mode that basically everyone immersed themselves with, but the reality is that there wasn’t much to do online either.
It was basically an inferior version of the multiplayer mode found in the Uncharted games, with players choosing between two factions. Not a lot of imagination or creativity went here, so we’re glad that this gripe doesn’t have a chance of turning up in the sequel.
9 Not Glad: The Game Won't Feel Complete
Then again, gamers have been basically hardwired to expect a multiplayer offering in games nowadays and most will feel like it’s a cop out that we’ll be purchasing what seems to be an incomplete experience.
Even though quite a fair amount of people only check out the online features sparingly, there’s still a feeling of satisfaction that one has acquired the full game, and there’s always the option of playing multiplayer should one feel the need to. Now, that aspect will be taken away, leaving a definite sense of incompleteness.
8 Glad:Â Single-Player Will Be Double The Quality
It’s been stated by Naughty Dog that The Last of Us Part II will be played on two discs, all because the single-player has been made so grand in presentation that there was no way to fit it in the usual one disc.
This guarantees the single-player mode will be polished to the point where any problems that people might have had with the first game will be dealt with. This should also confirm that the game’s length will be greater than before and we might have a more immersive zombie experience.
7 Not Glad: Replay Value Will Be Hindered
Building on an earlier point, there will be those who won’t be happy not having the multiplayer option because it effectively extends the gameplay feature for players. After all, there’s only so many times you can play through the story.
Multiplayer modes are best for getting more value out of a purchase as the unpredictability allows one to repeat their plays over and again. Those who only purchase the single-player version of the game might play it once and leave it at that.
6 Glad: An Entirely New Multiplayer Format Might Be Made
As mentioned above, the original game’s multiplayer mode left a lot to be desired, with fans even coming up with their own ideas over what they could’ve had for their online playthroughs. So, having an entirely separate online game might lead to these wishes could be fulfilled.
There’s little chance that Naughty Dog would want to repeat the same format in multiplayer seen in the first game, which means a multiplayer game would have a radically different feel and gaming style from the single-player experience.
5 Not Glad: Chances Of Paying Double For Essentially The Same Game
The pessimistic point of view for the above point would be that we might just end up with a rehashed version of the original game’s multiplayer and have to pay a full game’s price for it. There have already been many jokes made at this series’ expense, but this would be something that would cause outrage.
There were criticisms for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy being separate from Uncharted 4 too, but things were salvaged because of the lesser price range. However, if multiplayer is sold at a relatively high rate then this won’t sit well with fans who might feel cheated at having to play double what we’re supposed to get in one purchase.
4 Glad: Future Naughty Dog Games' Multiplayer Could Be Better
While you might feel as if the Uncharted series is better than The Last of Us or vice versa, one thing they both don’t excel at is the online feature. Uncharted 4’s multiplayer mode couldn’t bring out the same praise its single-player did, so the ball might be in The Last of Us Part II’s court to set a new standard.
If an entirely different format is to be made for the multiplayer portion for this game, then we could be in for some true innovation on Naughty Dog’s part that will not only make The Last of Us Part II’s multiplayer a superb one, but will ensure future games - those that are from separate franchises even - carry this surge in quality.
3 Not Glad:Â There Could Be A Divide Between Single And Multiplayer Fans
There’s already a kind of animosity between fans of different genres and play modes, and there’s not much harmony between those who prefer story driven games compared to those who just want to have a fun experience in the online mode.
Having two versions of The Last of Us Part II could lead to some only playing the multiplayer offering and ignoring the story one. It’ll be inevitable for certain groups to form where one side of the fans champion the single-player mode for what it is while others remain loyal only to the multiplayer version.
2 Glad: Chance For PS4 And PS5 Players To Play Against Each Other
There’s already been a pretty big delay from the early-2020 original release for The Last of Us Part II to the mid-2020 release date that is currently in place, but this might be a good thing as the PlayStation 5’s release might be around the corner by then.
With this in mind, there can be a PS5 version of The Last of Us Part II in store, which can lead to players who own both the new system and a PS4 getting to play against one another in The Last of Us Part II’s online version. This way, there will instantly be a large user base to play against.
1 Not Glad: A Third Game Might Take Longer To Arrive
Of course, making games takes a lot of time and effort, and The Last of Us Part II is already arriving a whopping seven years after the first game. If Naughty Dog chooses to make a game entirely devoted to the online mode, then The Last of Us Part III will be pushed to the far future.
This really isn’t a good thing, as having a third part in the series early sounds infinitely better than to wait for this game to release presumably about a decade after The Last of Us Part II just because a multiplayer game was devoted to it.