The success of The Last of Us franchise has become even more impressive recently, with the game series receiving its own HBO TV adaptation that opened the IP to swathes of new fans. Despite this recent triumph, the series is clearly not ready to take a backseat, with other gaming projects being in the works for the IP.
For example, it was announced in 2019 that The Last of Us would be receiving a standalone multiplayer title, marking a new foray for Naughty Dog into a purely multiplayer project. Given the prior success of The Last of Us' Factions multiplayer mode, it is clear to see why this upcoming project is so highly anticipated, but the title would do well to feature tasteful cameos from some minor characters to further link the release to past franchise installments.
The Last of Us Multiplayer Details
Although The Last of Us is best known for its immersive and layered singleplayer experience, the multiplayer mode of the first title is lauded by many for its strategic and addictive gameplay. The multiplayer of the original The Last of Us undoubtedly influenced the popularity and overall success of the release, and so it is no wonder that Naughty Dog has continued its multiplayer development for the franchise.
Surprisingly, 2020's The Last of Us Part 2 launched without a dedicated multiplayer mode, with Naughty Dog stating how the title's multiplayer became so ambitious and expansive that it was going to be released as its own standalone release at a later date. While not much is known about this mystery multiplayer release beyond this, it is likely that at the very least it will maintain the gritty and strategic PvP gameplay of the original The Last of Us multiplayer.
Potential Cameos In The Last of Us Multiplayer
As well as maintaining the core gameplay framework of The Last of Us' prior multiplayer experience, the standalone nature of this upcoming release indicates the presence of an even more expansive and detailed level of overall gameplay. With Naughty Dog also confirming how this multiplayer release will have a similar level of narrative storytelling as the mainline franchise titles, it is clear that NPCs and character interaction is going to play a significant role within the game.
When considering this, Naughty Dog would be remiss to not include cameos from some minor but recognizable characters from The Last of Us' main overall story. While it would be great fan service for the likes of Ellie or Abby to make appearances within this game, such high-profile cameos would run the risk of taking away from the isolated story of the multiplayer release. Due to this, it would be smarter for Naughty Dog to include cameos from the likes of Bill and Maria. In the case of the former, players can pass through his town and see if he is still thriving, while Maria can be talked to occasionally if Jackson is treated as a hub area.
This would tangibly link the upcoming multiplayer release to the core story of The Last of Us, making the game truly feel a part of the franchise's wider universe while allowing the game room to establish its own unique motifs and story beats. Given the recent success of The Last of Us HBO show and the amount of eyes that are now on the franchise, the upcoming multiplayer game does not need to rely on big name appearances to draw players, yet introducing familiar minor roles from the main games would offer a tasteful world-building nod to the first two titles.
The Last of Us Part 2 is available on PS4.
