Highlights

  • Naughty Dog's decision to cancel The Last of Us Online reflects a shift in preference towards singleplayer games over live-services, which has been met with mixed reactions from the fanbase.
  • Still, Sony has plans for multiple live-service projects, aiming to release 10 distinct ones by 2026. However, the cancelation of The Last of Us Online will have an impact on this ambitious goal.
  • Rumors suggest that Sony's plans include games from Bungie (potentially Bungie Matter), Firewalk Studios (Concord), and other multiplayer titles like Fairgames and a live service Horizon game. Time is running out for Sony to make more announcements before 2026, though.

The Last of Us Online has officially been hit with cancelation—with Naughty Dog opting to pursue more singleplayer experiences rather than an online service with long-term support. However, Sony still has a great deal of live-service content rumored to be in the works, even if the halting of The Last of Us' live service title throws a spanner in the works.

Naughty Dog canceling The Last of Us Online was met with a mixed response from the fanbase. Despite some saddened reactions, especially from those who liked Factions multiplayer in the series' original release, many have a preference for singleplayer games. The pendulum of public opinion is swinging against live-services more and more, with 2023 especially becoming a graveyard for the genre. Apex Legends Mobile, Rumbleverse, and Knockout City are among the live-services to get the axe this year—and they aren't alone. Live-services may be profitable, but they're also incredibly expensive and require players to invest an incredible amount of time, and Sony is attempting to make several happen at the same time.

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What The Last of Us Online's Cancelation Could Mean For Naughty Dog

Although the cancelation of The Last of Us Online is a loss for Naughty Dog, it may be just what the studio needs to get back on track.

Sony's Live-Service Plans Are Still Ongoing

A release window for Bungie's other new IP, Matter, may now be known thanks to recent court filings.

This cancelation is in the context of a wider plan. In 2022, it was announced that Sony would release 10 live-services by 2026. Getting 10 distinct live services up-and-running in that timespan is an incredibly lofty goal, and that's without mentioning the problem of running them simultaneously. Very little is known about the specifics of Sony's plans, but this recent cancelation is sure to be detrimental. Its hope for its live service pivot rests in whatever else is on its upcoming slate, and there are numerous rumors about those projects.

Bungie Matter

One of the biggest elements of these rumors is the speculation surrounding Bungie Matter. What this game will be is unknown, but a job listing for Bungie from this year has led many to assume that Matter will have 'many modes of online play', which is pretty typical for an online game. Little else has been ascertained beyond a 2025 release rumor. Bungie is a big part of Sony's plans, with the live-service pivot announced soon after the acquisition. Therefore, Sony will need to play carefully with the details if it wants to get its roadmap ready in time; it has a choice between building up hype or going for some kind of surprise drop, but it will have to pick one.

Concord

Sony's acquisition of Firewalk Studios in 2021 was something of a surprise for fans. Formed in 2018, Firewalk had no games under its belt when Sony bought it—and it still doesn't now. However, the reveal of Concord this year could show Sony's thinking with Firewalk. Concord was announced in May 2023, purporting to be a multiplayer sci-fi FPS that will release in 2024. If this multiplayer piece turns out to be part of Sony's live-service ambitions, it would do well to let more gamers know about it—as the title's reveal trailer still languishes in relative obscurity.

Fairgames

Another case of a multiplayer game that could factor into Sony's live-service plans, Fairgames is a multiplayer PVP heist title that will see players battle for the chance to rob the same vault. The game has given fans similar vibes to the Payday series, a niche small enough that competition could perhaps be found. Again, the degree to which Fairgames factors into the live-service plan is unknown, but it's not unlikely; at this stage, Sony doesn't have much time for more announcements before 2026.

Horizon Multiplayer Game

Guerrila Games confirmed a multiplayer Horizon game in 2022. Some alpha footage has leaked but, as with other live-service Sony projects, details remain scarce. The adaptation of a singleplayer franchise into a multiplayer title runs a similar gambit to The Last Of Us Online, so Sony will have to tread carefully with its demands as to not have a repeat cancelation.

Deviation Games and Sony's London Studio are also working on their own multiplayer projects. However, after a round of layoffs in 2023, it looks like Deviation's project may have been canceled.