Director of The Last of Us Multiplayer Game at Naughty Dog: "Yes, I’m Still Working on That Game"

Following the delay of the upcoming The Last of Us multiplayer game Naughty Dog has been working on, there have been rumors of its cancellation floating around the internet.

These rumors appear to be greatly exaggerated.

[SyntheticForm]

I'd love a new TLOU MP.

Some people forget or just don't know how good the MP mode actually is/was.

[northpaws]

Yes, the original faction was so good, I had 700 hours on it.

[shinoff2183]

Damn northpaws. That's alot.

[northpaws]

@shinoff2183

I think I played about 400 hours on PS3 version, and another 300 on the PS4 remaster.

[isarai]

Easily one of the best and most balanced MP modes out there, maybe one weirdly one sided game every 10 or so games, but God the slower pace and reliance on teamwork just made that game sing. I hope factions 2 keeps the simplicity of the first, but with the talks of the whole GAAS focus, I'm concerned about it

[StormSnooper]

But the term “gaas focus” only appears to apply to Sony whereas everyone else is doing it too.

Even though Sony doesnt even have a gaas game yet, they already get criticized for “being gaas focused”. There are lots of “gaas focused” games out, but no one mentions that (i.e. Diablo).

[isarai]

@StormTrooper

Tons of people mention that wtf are you talking about? 🤣 It's like the 2nd biggest criticism of modern AAA games under games launched broken And the reason people are bringing it up with PlayStation is that's literally what they said their focus was shifting to. And we're planning on releasing 10 live service games within the next fiscal year. PlayStation fans don't like it because that style of game is the complete opposite of why fans love PlayStation 1st party games to start with. One or two? Perfectly fine, there's certainly a place for those, but 10!? Then we start hearing leaks that it's that initiative that is causing the delays, silence and added struggle for all these 1st party devs for something no one was even asking for. Have you been living under a rock?

[shinoff2183]

I'm completly against all the gaas games and have no intention of playing any. I don't think all 10 of those games were to come out within 1 fiscal year.

[Inverno]

Good good still anticipating this!

[StormSnooper]

Im hyped for this. Factions was amazing. Make it much more deep and you could have something special.

[Tody_ZA]

I'm worried about this game. The original Last of Us multiplayer was surprisingly good and suspenseful, something different, but this game has been silent for so long I'm baffled as to what the problem is. They already have the template, it's not like factions needs to go back to the drawing board.

[DarXyde]

It's Naughty Dog. The original Factions was fantastic, and one of the very few online multiplayer games that really grabbed me.

But they're not trying to do a repeat of Factions. From what we've heard since it was announced, they're really trying to break new ground with this experience. This studio is remarkable and perhaps a bit perfectionist, which doesn't really work where budgets and deadlines are concerned.

The worry is warranted. At the same time, I'm reassured to read this article and the scale of the ambition seems palpable.

That said, always, always, always temper expectations—expect a great game, but don't expect a perfect game. I've been of the opinion that their recent cash grabs were undertaken purely for cash flow.

Really, I think there are only three possible outcomes:

1. Game releases with that lovely Naughty Dog quality.

2. Game gets handed off to a studio more comfortable with multiplayer titles.

3. Game gets cancelled.

I think they'd rather take an L personally by cancelling it than releasing a game that isn't good. That's my take.

[TOTSUKO]

No matter what this project has gone through you can't deny ND has always tried to push for quality. Even if it is a GaaS they have earned that respect that they would pour their passion into it. I trust the ND process. Even if it gets canned I would accept that because ND wouldn't release subpar.

[Binarycode]

I get that ppl want MP for TLOU.

But wtf have ND been doing otherwise, Seriously Insomniac has been pumping out games.

I was really expecting ND to hit the floor running with the PS5.

[jznrpg]

Sony is being quiet with pretty much all of their studios. Not worried myself as they have delivered for a quarter of century. We should get some news on the next first party game or two that are near to release on n the next few months.

[Crows90]

I remember the same arguments for the PS3 and PS4. They've always delivered.

[isarai]

@Crows90 and jznrog

My issue is they've never been this quiet for this long. Releases are usually 3-4yrs apart for their 1st party studios with announcements happening typically a year before release, we're going 4yrs from their last release on some of these studios and STILL no announcement. All of them besides insomniac, Santa Monica, and Guerilla are taking an uncharacteristically long time to say anything in their next game, and I've watched these studios since I could afford a Gameinformer sub in 2001, something is up, sure probably not too dire, and I'm sure EVENTUALLY they will deliver, but what is the delay and silence about? It's definitely unusual

[jBlakeeper]

I think that’s because they are busy pivoting most of their studios into the GaaS model and figuring out the best way to do that.

[Redemption-64]

I have no idea why people are always comparing Naughty Dog to Insomniac. Making such a comparison shows you don't know much the studios. Insomniac even before acquired by Sony had two different studios in two different locations, so I have no idea this need to compare the output of a studio with 1 location and a studio with 2 separate locations, that more than like gets more resources. Don't see anyone crying about Sucker Punch

[Binarycode]

As far as I know. ND has a fair team that works on two different projects at the same time.

Nobody is crying about sucker punch because 5 of their games have been Infamous.

ND Normally is technically leading, They lead the PS3 which was the hardest dev time for ppl imo.

PS5 is faster to triangle, load textures and worlds after a few seconds. Only thing I can think of is a lot of the engine had to be re-written to take advantage of the PS5 and maybe that's held games up.

All anyone wants to see is something from any game.

[ModsDoBetter]

Worried about this with delays and a lack of anything about the standalone MP game coming out aside from a few buzzwords from Neil claiming its the most ambitious game ND has made.

Insomniac are hard carrying this gen for PS so far, 3 years in.

[Crows90]

Not really. Insomniac has made ratchet and clank and now this spiderman 2 which re-uses a lot from the 1st one. That's 2 games.

Miles Morales was the same thing...reusing a lot.
Keep in mind the release schedules of the other devs.

They've only really released 1 more game than the rest.

[-Foxtrot]

Kind of funny Bungie we’re apparently brought in and now Bungie are facing issues with their studio

NaughtyDog: “Well well how the turn tables”

[GrmpyolGamer]

Lies

[Stuart5756]

Please announce something. Its been too long, ND you're great but pleeeezz.......

[isarai]

Honestly! I swear if we don't see some new 1st party stuff this year's VGAs I'm going gonna be pissed, like wtf is going on man

[jambola]

This game really just went from
- oh cool the first online was awesome, glad it's coming
- oh in the future? I'll try it when it comes out
- do I really care enough to re download tlou 2 for this?
- probably don't care enough
- oh? It's on game, yeah I'm out

Naughty dog is feeling like the next Bethesda or something