Highlights

  • The Last of Us' multiplayer spin-off is highly anticipated, but it is supposedly struggling behind the scenes.
  • While Naughty Dog may not have extensive experience in multiplayer games, the solid foundation set by the original game's online mode suggests that playing it safe may be a better approach.
  • The Last of Us' storytelling and narrative strength make it challenging for the IP to be associated with anything else, so the focus should be on delivering a multiplayer experience that fits the game's universe without necessarily trying to revolutionize the genre.

The Last of Us remains one of the best experiences that can be had in the PlayStation ecosystem. Joel’s journey across a post-apocalyptic United States with Ellie is tense, emotional, and incredibly thrilling, with story beats that will be remembered for decades to come. Developer Naughty Dog is no stranger to critical and commercial acclaim, with Jak and Daxter and Uncharted also under its belt, but while that consistency has been key for years, the upcoming The Last of Us: Factions seems to have encountered a bump in the road. Supposedly, the game is being restructured following criticism for Bungie, with fans theorizing that Naughty Dog may have gotten a bit too ambitious with the project even though it did not need to.

The project is a huge undertaking and one that, if executed well, could massively add to The Last of Us’ already impressive world-building. However, this outing will likely be the developer’s biggest foray into the multiplayer scene, so playing it safe wouldn’t be a bad plan. The original game had a surprisingly solid online mode, one that players are still finding enjoyment in. The steps that title took could be a reminder that The Last of Us: Factions doesn’t have to set the world on fire when it launches in the future, instead just giving the classic Factions gameplay a fresh coat of paint.

the last of us part 2 remaster future naughty dog games delayed
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The Last of Us 2 Remaster Might Be Bad News For Other Naughty Dog Games

The Last of Us Part 2 getting a remaster that many fans believe was not needed yet could be pointing at a deeper issue with future Naughty Dog games.

Naughty Dog Doesn’t Need to Take Too Many Risks

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Naughty Dog is one of the few developers that can be an adjective for an entire genre. Like Bethesda for a specific type of RPG or Metroid and Castlevania for a strand of 2D side-scrollers, a title that is story-heavy and linear in design is often seen as a "Naughty Dog’" game, even if it’s not from the California-based outfit. Multiplayer isn’t the studio’s bread and butter, so fans may have tempered expectations for the upcoming The Last of Us: Factions project.

While the multiplayer game mode was initially intended to be an addition to The Last of Us 2 , at Summer Game Fest 2022 it was confirmed that it would be a stand-alone title due to its ambitious nature.

Transitioning from a multiplayer mode for The Last of Us 2 to a full standalone project was a big undertaking, and one that may still pay dividends, but for the game to succeed there has to be a balance struck between innovation and familiarity. There are other developers who have the capacity to push the multiplayer shooter genre further forward, so while an expansion of The Last of Us' world is a great idea, the mechanics and presentation don’t have to be genre-defining, especially as most people will continue to associate the franchise, and the developer, with excellent single-player offerings.

The Last of Us: Factions is a Solid Foundation

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2013’s The Last of Us is one of the PS3, PS4, and now PS5’s best games, and that's without the multiplayer component that was included in the original release. The game launched at a time when games like Tomb Raider and Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag frequently included a lackluster multiplayer component, but The Last of Us' 'Factions' mode was surprisingly engaging and kept a large swathe of players around long after the credits rolled on Joel and Ellie’s gut-wrenching story. While numbers have dwindled over time, it still has a player-base today, showing its longevity and proving it can offer something to gamers in 2023.

The Last of Us’ storytelling is too strong for the IP to be associated with anything else. The gameplay and level design improved in the second title, but those changes are rarely spoken about as the narrative remains the focal point, be it praised or criticized. A multiplayer project could fit The Last of Us like a glove, but being too ambitious is a slippery slope, especially considering Naughty Dog has a perfect blueprint to follow, and hopefully expand on somewhat, thanks to the 2013 original. Overthinking it could have a detrimental effect as much as a positive one, and as The Last of Us seems to be all the rage ten years after it first launched, it has to be high quality, but not necessarily revolutionary.