When The Last of Us launched on PS3 in 2013, it would have been hard to predict what a runaway hit it would be. On the surface, it is nothing but yet another zombie survival horror game, and there are countless numbers of those available. However, as many gamers realized upon playing it, The Last of Us presents much more than just brain-munching monsters, and instead, it unfurls a gut-wrenching story about the power of love and the drastic decisions it can push one towards in moments of desperation. The game was a commercial and critical success, leading to its sequel, The Last of Us 2, being released in 2020.
Originally, gamers expected The Last of Us 2 to release with a multiplayer counterpart. However, as Naughty Dog explained, the scope of the game grew to such a degree that it decided to release the multiplayer element as a full game at a later stage. It is almost two years later, and the multiplayer game has yet to be seen. While details on the upcoming game are still scarce, signs suggest that it may be a live-service title.
The Last of Us Is a Long-Term Project
It would have been very easy for Naughty Dog to conclude The Last of Us with the first game, and its ambiguous ending would have allowed for it to be discussed for decades to come. However, the world crafted was intriguing enough for the developer to decide it was worth expanding Joel and Ellie's story and revealing more about how the disastrous cordyceps pandemic has affected the rest of America. In The Last of Us 2, Ellie travels to Seattle to seek revenge after suffering a terrible injustice. Along the way, she meets new factions, makes new enemies, and discovers new types of Infected.
The Last of Us 2 does not mark the end of the franchise, however, and there are still steady plans to expand its reach. Currently, a television adaptation of The Last of Us is in production, and filming is taking place in Canada. Performers involved with the project include Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey who will play Ellie and The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal who will play Joel. Sony and Naughty Dog are not taking a hands-off approach to the television series, and they will be heavily involved, with Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann serving as one of the show's writers.
The investment Naughty Dog and Sony are making in The Last of Us franchise suggests that they are in it for the long haul, and they expect the IP to be profitable well into the future. This would create a fertile environment for a live-service The Last of Us multiplayer game to maintain relevance in the long-term and ensure that gamers remain interested in it for years to come.
PlayStation Has been Investing in Live-Services
One of the most recent trends in the gaming industry is the increasing number of studio acquisitions being made by the gaming giants. Microsoft has not been afraid to throw billions around, leading to the company acquiring Activision Blizzard and Bethesda. Sony's acquisitions have been smaller but also quite significant, and they have been mostly centered on studios that synergize with the company's future goals. For instance, the acquisition of Nixxes Software is likely to support Sony's push to move more of its games to the PC market, as Nixxes has experience with developing PC ports.
One of Sony's most recent big purchases was of Bungie for $3.6 billion. This is a colossal price tag, but it appears that Sony has plans for the studio. The studio is known for creating the Halo series, though in recent years it is most known for its work on Destiny and Destiny 2, which are popular live-service FPS games. Following the acquisition, Sony explained that Bungie will retain its independence and that the purpose of the purchase was for PlayStation Studios to draw from Bungie's expertise in the live-service market. These are skills that Sony needs because while PlayStation has managed to assert itself as a leader in the single-player gaming world, it has struggled to carve out a presence in the online multiplayer market.
Having The Last of Us 2 as a constantly updated live service would certainly tie in with Sony's current trends and trajectory. It would be a good strategy for Sony, as games like Ghost of Tsushima: Legends have proven that PlayStation games have great potential as multiplayer games when they are handled correctly. Further evidence that The Last of Us 2 Factions will be a live-service title also comes from the Twitter account @oopsleaks which is known for leaking gaming industry news. According to the account, The Last of Us 2's multiplayer game will be a free-to-play title that will release on PS5 first, then on PC, and it is one of ten planned live-service games from PlayStation. It should be noted that the leaks have yet to be confirmed by Naughty Dog or Sony, so they should be taken with a massive grain of salt.
A lot is still unknown about The Last of Us 2's multiplayer game, but thanks to Naughty Dog's impressive track record, there is not much to worry about. Turning The Last of Us 2 Factions into a live-service game would be a daring direction to take, but there are also plenty of potential benefits. After the game's long development period, it may be the best way for the studio to ensure that its hard work pays off for a long time to come.
The Last of Us 2 is available on PS4.
