Principal Designer On The Last Of Us Multiplayer Game Has Left Naughty Dog

According to a LinkedIn Profile, The Last of Us Multiplayer game continues to see departures as a Principal Designer has left Naughty Dog

[Jin_Sakai]

Yea this game is done. Now let’s get back to making those single player masterpieces Naughty Dog are known for.

[Obscure_Observer]

"Yea this game is done."

You said Sony has flawless management skills of first party studios and impeccable games output.

And now after so many years and delays you´re here telling people that a game from Sony´s premier studio is dead?

[derek]

@Obscure, what's your point? The game may be canceled, so what. Instead of releasing games below ND high standards, like Microsoft did with redfall for example, you shelve them. ND's only error was informing the public about this project so early in development.

[Jin_Sakai]

“You said Sony has flawless management skills of first party studios and impeccable games output.”

Sony unlike Microsoft has put out many many great games this generation. Factions was a MP side project and unlike Redfall won’t likely see the light of day and cause disappointment. Anyhow PlayStation fans will be busy playing Spider-Man 2 in a few weeks.

[Vengeance1138]

Pretty great management to choose to not release a turd like Redfall.
Sony knows the state of their games, unlike MS who close their eyes.

[Notellin]

This community is made up entirely of uninformed and uneducated fanboys. It's not worth arguing with the @Jin_Sakai's of this world as they are unimportant to anything in the real world of video games development and just edge lords on a computer at home.

[Tacoboto]

So now, people are convincing themselves that Sony and Naughty Dog have great management *because* Factions 2 is a failed project.

This is even better than the guy who suggested we buy GaaS to support Sony single player.

[Obscure_Observer]

@derek

"@Obscure, what's your point? The game may be canceled, so what. Instead of releasing games below ND high standards."

High Standards?

It was supposed to be a MP mode for TLOU2 that ND couldn't put out. Then, they changed its scope to turn it into some standalone MP focused game, just to fail at a second time?

Do you have an idea on how much money, time and resources were invested in that game?

My point is, ND used to deliver 4 games per generation (as they did in the PS3 era with Amy and Bruce) and now under Druckmman as the main and ONLY director, their games output dropped drastically.

If Factions 2 gets canned, make no mistake that we won´t see a single new game released by that studio for the entire PS5´s life circle, once they just recently "decided" which game they´ll be developing next.

https://www.ign.com/article...

I mean, even the most hardcore PS fanboy would agree that such scenario would be disastrous.

"ND's only error was informing the public about this project so early in development."

It wasn´t "early in development", dude. It was supposed to be released as a MP mode for TLOU 2!

This is nothing different from what they did before with Chloe and Nadine in The Lost Legacy.

"Sony unlike Microsoft has put out many many great games this generation."

They did started very strong then are *apparently* losing steam now.

MS started slow and now is picking up speed. Facts!

"Anyhow PlayStation fans will be busy playing Spider-Man 2 in a few weeks"

And then what? Some third party exclusives? What does mean to your narrative about Playstation´s flawless first party output and management of first party studios?

@Vengeance1138

"Sony knows the state of their games, unlike MS who close their eyes."

Really?

https://www.metacritic.com/...

Suddenly cancelling games becomes a good thing, right?

[Crows90]

Most of your points are poppy cock but I'll agree that Neil druckman is destroying naughty dog. Bruce and Amy made naughty dog what it is/was. You forgot that the one game under his supervision was massively divisive.

[shinoff2183]

Surprised your here even posting with all that fun in starfield your having.

[jimbo676]

Sony is pretty incompetent right now and their whole AAA GAAS future is a mess. What a travesty.

[Chevalier]

https://www.forbes.com/site...

Here's what $70 gets you from Xbox. $30 DLC pack with no update in 4 months and no 60 FPS. Not a peep out of Obscure, but, a lot of fake rage over TLOU though. Lol

[DarXyde]

Unsurprising to see you jump on bad news. Clockwork trolling.

Cite him saying Sony has flawless management skills. Do it. The burden of proof is on you. If it's been said, surely you can prove a positive, yeah? Aren't you the "Bookmarking this for later" guy?

Just like that, your argument (if I'm being generous by calling it that) falls apart. For the record, I'm pretty sure that Jin has been quite critical of Jim Ryan, so what kind of reality is that based in? Pretty sure I've seen Jin questioning Sony's direction in several instances.

I love that you put "You said Sony has flawless management skills of first party studios" and "impeccable games output" in the same sentence, acting like both of those things are untrue. Sony does have first party output that is "impeccable", at least by gaming standards. The nominations, awards, and accolades they very regularly receive are a testament to that.

The height of irony is getting these kinds of comments from the OG Pet-of-Phil.

Behave yourself, mate.

[S2Killinit]

God you are extremely annoying. Do you say anything at all that is not fanboy? Do you ever think that you need a change? I’m literally concerned for you.

[Zeref]

@Derek

Oh so now canceling games is good? 😂😂😂

[Phlacky]

Well yes cancelling a game can be good if it isn't up to standards. Better to quit whilst ahead then pour more money into it that could be better used else where.

[Jin_Sakai]

In rare cases yes or you end up with a turd like Redfall. 😉

[Zeref]

I don't even disagree. I just think it's funny after all this time of PS fanboys shitting on Xbox for canceling games.

But now that Sony is about to cancel a game. It's a good thing? 😂

The hypocrisy is just amazing to see 😂
like at least be consistent in your bullshit

[Elda]

LMAO!! The pot calling the kettle black? An XB fanboy calling others a PS fanboy? Think before you speak. Smh.

[jambola]

Who?
Derek said both of those things?
Or is it a case where you think different people having opposite opinions is hypocrisy?

[IamFrasierCrane]

“Playstation fans should be licking Phil spencers nuts right now. He could have easily cancelled the PS versions even though talks were already on the way before they bought it.“

Considering you throw out cancellation threats just because MS bought something should tell us all we need to know. Canceling a game just because is definitely a bad thing and you have no problem with MS having that power. Wonder why PS fans have said cancelations are bad 🤔 Perhaps take a look a the bullshit y’all have posted since the start of last gen…

[Crows90]

What games has Microsoft been canceling lately?

[ModsDoBetter]

That's just this site all over.

[DarXyde]

Who said cancelling a game was bad? If it's not coming together, I think most people would rather say screw it. In my experience, I was pissed because Scalebound was the main reason I got an Xbox One. I found that infuriating, but I understood it. But you know what got under my skin more than that and I bring it up semi-frequently? The closing of Japan Studio. I'm a PlayStation guy, and I'm very vocal about that.

I'm not sure what you're going on about.

[hiawa23]

👏👏 I agree 100%.

[darksky]

The game was done for me when Joel was brutally killed off.

[Petebloodyonion]

Color me crazy but it seems there 2 completely different standards where Sony is always doing good and MS always bad no matter what when not releasing games or part of it.

Example: It's a good thing that ND cancels this " side project" from TLOU part 2 because it's better to cancel it than release a TURD like Redfall and faction was only a small mode that nobody played so no big deal.

Compared to MS is screwing PPL by not having FORGE released with HALO day 1 because this mode is SUPER important to the game! This shows again that MS can't properly program just like with Scalebound.

Funny how suddenly Faction is a side project despite the original being available since day 1 on PS3 with a pre-order bonus, purchasable DLC (maps pack, Weapons bundle, and skins), and adding exclusive MTS to the PS4 version of the remaster.

And we don't need to talk about Scalebound :)

[Rgbsquad]

JAK 4 BABEE LETS GO!

[GoodGuy09]

Idk how it's possible they're having this much trouble with the MP. Just copy the original and add Part II's gameplay and... that's it (I know obviously it's more than that but still, you have the original to build off of). The mode must really be overambitious.

[Rocketisleague]

Half expecting an MMO or something at this point

[Rgbsquad]

Goodness no please

[isarai]

Honestly it sounds like someone came in and forced them to repurpose it into something else, something more monetize and profitable. And the rapid gear shift just made it all fall apart.

[blackblades]

Right, it was suppose to be like GoT MP that came out at a later date. Bet Jim came around and said make it into a live service game but of course they never done one. Buying bungie they came around and said it wouldnt work how they had it and just started falling apart. Of course everything is just speculations of what other has said that dont even work there. Are there signs yeah, the delay, this, other things so they could be right but then theres also that talk about how they were more games that was suppose to be shown at the showcase. Theres nothing 100% we dont know if they are ready to show a lot of these games or not.

[ravens52]

Jim/Bungie smh.

[LOGICWINS]

I think you hit the nail on the head. Sony is fully capable of making great multiplayer experiences (Killzone 2, Warhawk, Uncharted 2 and 3 multiplayer). In fact, the PS3 generation is my favorite BECAUSE of those experiences.

For them to be having this much trouble tells me that something is seriously wrong. Thing is, I'm not even against GAAS games as long as they're well done.

[itBourne]

Just like every other Sony multiplayer game... They can make a great mp, then the highers come in that have zero clue wtf a good mp game even is and either wreck the entire system, or bury whats good so deep and cover it with absolute shit so that you dont even enjoy what is underneath.

[Stanjara]

That would be great if they just update the original... but of course that isn't the milking costumer model.

[outsider1624]

I think what they're going for is too ambitious. An open world Last of us. Either it was gonna fantastic or straight up crap. Nothing in between.

[thecodingart]

Druckman being the leadership shake up…

[Sonyslave3]

He no longer needed they have Bungie to help in that aspect. Even though Fortnite is way bigger n better then Destiny .

[Stanjara]

YES! Kill this garbage gaas garbage!

[CappyBlack]

I'm not liking the future I feel I'm seeing Sony lead into.
This was just "contract workers" just the other day, apparently. Now it's one of the leads.

Anymore, the only first party actually being impressive is Insomniac. If what I've been shown prior to this, I think we're actually seeing Sony's GaaS future in action. The beginning of it, anyway.

The Last of Us recent release was so impressive. A marginal upgrade to the already released remaster.

I'm also convinced we'll be seeing more and more "remakes" of PS4 amd PS3 titles.

[derek]

@Cappy, hyperbolic much? Lol. Let me guess you're an Xbox fan.

[CappyBlack]

Do you have to just be a "Xbot fan looool" to be observant of other platforms?
If there's a game released I can play it. I'll leave your assumptions at that.

[EvertonFC]

That's how contract work is done, you're not an employer but a contractor with a short contract

[Crows90]

I'd say house marquee has massive potential. Loved returnal

[-Foxtrot]

The saddest thing is if this comes out or doesn’t they’ve wasted 3 years on it and the next game will probably be further away.

The studio isn’t what it was and management is to blame, but hey, he’s too busy f****** around in Hollywood.

[derek]

@Fox, I will never understand the mindless internet hate for Drukmann. Just because he had a big role in making what to me was the greatest non-vr game of last generation in the Last of 2.

[-Foxtrot]

It’s not mindless

The more power he got, along with those rumours about his power struggles when Amy Hennig was pushed out (and she was forced out, Nolan North and Richard McGonagle confirmed this in different interviews) the more you start to paint a picture

Amy left

Bruce left

The mass exodus of developers because of TLOU2 crunch development and issues with management

The lies of TLOU2 marketing with Neil going on for years and years that it would be a Joel and Ellie adventure to sell the game when it wasn’t that, they even swapped character models for Joel in the trailers to give you a false impression.

Splitting the fanbase with TLOU2 where people are at each others throats compared to the fan universal acclaim of the first game. Then fans the flames and twists it into any criticism, ANY, are from people being trolls or homophobic.

Evan Wells has bailed

The focus on a massive GaaS game, even before the GaaS stuff it shouldn’t have been a full on game to start with.

Lack of communication with fans

Contractors being let go suddenly and forbidden to talk about anything.

The next game is going to be years away

Meanwhile big head Neil is having a blast focusing on a TV show because that’s all he’s really cared about but he won’t leave ND because he knows Hollywood isn’t the most stable job writing wise (look at the recent writers strikes).

Why do people keep defending him and say people are just pulling shit from nowhere.

[derek]

@Fox, regurgitating a bunch of internet rumor and innuendo is not proof of anything. Suggesting that Druckmann lied about the plot details of the Last of 2 is kinda bananas, why would he spoil his on game. This is exactly that type of hyperbolic rhetoric I see anytime a ND game is mentioned online. All these rumors and ideas as if to suggest ND is somehow in deep decline etc, it totally detached from reality.

[ravens52]

I'm blaming this on Bungie. They came in and said No. I'm sure what Naughty Dog had would've been great. Destiny 2 wasn't even that good. I was into Destiny the 1st one but not more than any ND game. Smdh.

[derek]

@raven, how do you know what Bungie did or said? Unsourced reports from that idiot Jason Schrier? Lol. You guys will believe anything if it's what you want to hear.

[Jin_Sakai]

This GaaS garbage is what put it on the back burner. It probably would’ve been a good if that wasn’t the main focus.

[derek]

@Jin, ND themselves said they had scrapped their original plans in pursuit of a bigger concept of factions. Sometimes things don't go according to plan.

[jjb1981]

At this point, who cares anymore?

[jambola]

Yeah
At first it was a case where I would try it when it came out
At this point I don't think I'd care enough even if it was free

[DrDoomer]

It was the principle of the thing to leave that sinking dumpster fire.

[TheEnigma313]

Meh, at this point, just scrap it and make it available for TLoU3

[dnawesum]

Sounds to me like after Jim Ryan announcing his retirement ND now have a bit more control to change the direction of the game, which is why the Principal Designer has left (who's only been there a year by the way), and so now ND are moving away from the extensive Gaas model that Sony have been leaning on them to implement, and are now going back to something of a more standard MP route.

Factions 2 is still coming.

[Themba76]

I hate to say it but the investment sony made into bungie might be a terrible one. Because as everyone is seeing right now gaas games are on there way out. There are no good gaas games in existence.

[-Foxtrot]

They can make their money off Destiny from Bungie, its multiplatform so they will reap some reards

The issue will be studios they bought like Haven Studios or Firewalk Studios who are making GaaS games like Fairgame$ and Concord.

[jambola]

Is naughty dog another big studio about to turn to absolute shit?

[CrimsonWing69]

I'd rather them just cancel this and work on a sequel. This project sounds like it's a mess. You have Bungie saying it sucked, you have delays, key devs leaving. These are just all signs pointing to something bad.

[shaenoide]

This is what happens when you force a studio specialized in single-player games to GaaS.

[CrimsonWing69]

All thanks to Jimmy.

[shinoff2183]

I'm not sad. Sucks for the people who are or were looking forward to this online game. I'm not one of them. So if focus goes back to single player then I'm thrilled

[neomahi]

Never a good sign. Naughty Dogs dying. Neil Druckmanns head got too inflated. Too much of an emphasis on The Last of Us and too political. But, as they say "all good things eventually come to an end". The Last of Us must've been the wrong bet

[Binarycode]

I was never interested in an MP game.

They should just stick to what they do best. SP. I'm expecting a top quality game from them soon. I know they have a few projects happening.

Sony should just use one of it's studios to create MP games.

[PhillyDonJawn]

This been in development hell

[babadivad]

Was he a part of the layoffs

[nickanasty206]

No way to spin this one. This is shitty news. I personally have loved the Naughty Dog MP games in the past between the Uncharted MP and original Factions. Sony need to get their ducks in a row to give us some new multiplayer experiences. The best part of the PS3 and PS4 era were their own unique MP experiences along with their single player masterpieces. I don't just want single player games, I need something with more legs that I can enjoy with friends.

Multiplayer Games like:
Killzone
MAG
Socom
Uncharted
Twisted Metal
Factions
Resistance
Ghost Legends

We need more experiences like this back on the PS Platform again. Single player games are great and all, but there has to be more diversity. Diversity and unique experiences has always been what has made Playstation great, and this generation i feel like we have lost a lot of that vibe..

[TheColbertinator]

Development is going nowhere. Cancel it.

[ThEusAisPoisonous]

Jumping ship.

[jjb1981]

LMFAO at the Xbots claiming that a MP version of a highly successful game needs their approval for its success!!!! 🤑🤑🤑

[Notsofast]

so now that they have wasted time and money on this can we get a Socom and Killzone and Resistance multiplayer bundle pack that will give PlayStation players serious multiplayer options what I really would like to see is a new Drive Club motorstorm and War Hawk also even a unchated multiplayer would be cool