Post Pandemic Habits Cancelled The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer Before Reveal

As a The Last of Us fan with 237 hours logged on the PlayStation 3 version alone, mostly because the original Factions multiplayer mode left me completely obsessed, it’s been hard to forgive Naughty Dog for canceling the sequel's ambitious multiplayer project.

Especially since the cancellation was shrouded in mystery, and the standalone title was never properly revealed, with fans never getting so much as a glimpse of its gameplay or mechanics. However, the truth behind the project has finally come to light, thanks to a former Naughty Dog director who was at the helm of the title.

A Pandemic Boom and a Post-Pandemic Bust

Vinit Agarwal joined Naughty Dog in 2014, contributing to Uncharted 4, The Lost Legacy, and The Last of Us Part II. But it was in 2016 that he got his own project to work on, starting as the Game Director for a massive standalone multiplayer title set in the Last of Us universe.

For years, this was one of the most anticipated mystery games in the industry, but the curtain never rose. Now, speaking on a recent episode of the Lance E. Lee Podcast, Agarwal finally shared the brutal details of the sudden cancellation.

According to the developer, the multiplayer project was in development for nearly seven years and was scheduled for a full reveal on December 15, 2023. However, it was canceled roughly 24 hours before that could happen.

"It was so crushing," Agarwal explained. "I was the director of the game, and honestly, finding out that it was getting canceled 24 hours before it was announced to the public was just unfortunate. And they had to do that to control the messaging."

Agarwal also shed light on the core reason for the project's demise: the shifting tides of the gaming industry in 2022. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry saw massive growth as social isolation led millions to find refuge in online gaming.

“So Sony decided to put a lot of money into online gaming, like everyone else was,” Agarwal noted. The TLOU standalone multiplayer was one of the projects that received this massive boost, expanding exponentially in both scope and budget. Agarwal reveals that the game was roughly 80% complete and making significant progress.

But, as the pandemic waned and people returned to their offices, the industry saw a sharp decline in online engagement. And this forced a sudden change of plans for Sony. "Basically, at one point, a decision had to be made," Agarwal said. "Make this game or make the next game that Neil Druckmann, the president of the company, was directing. So, you can naturally understand what happened.”

So there you go. Now we know why The Last of Us Part II’s multiplayer will never see the light of day – and also that the gaming industry can be quite brutal to its developers.