The Last of Us 2 Factions 2 Was in Development for 4 Years, Cancellation Resulted in Heads Rolled

The Last of Us 2 Online mode often referred to as Factions 2 was said to be in development for four years, with a team "in the hundreds."

[TheNamelessOne]

The original was so good. What was the issue here? All they had to do was basically recreate what they already did.

[Lightning77]

Not that simple Sony wanted a LS Factions. Not just a recreated Factions 1.5

[Cacabunga]

All ND multiplayer were top notch!! Uncharted were so fun and engaging. Online coop was a total blast 💥

Maybe they were trying to release Factions 2 as a gaas using the name of the series as a selling point and didn’t work out?

[StormSnooper]

I think they simply were not happy with the end product and decided not to dilute a masterpiece of an IP with something lackluster.

[Dogpool]

Yea sure guys. It’s well documented that Bungie had a say in this

[Jin_Sakai]

“The original was so good. What was the issue here?”

This issue is that Instead of making improvements upon Factions they chose to go big and chase GaaS.

[shaenoide]

@StormSnooper The game is dead. To be successful a Gaas needs regular content. And you need a lot of people for that. Palworld is another exemple not enough content the game is dead too.

[shaenoide]

GaaS is the problem.

[StormSnooper]

No, gaas is not the problem. There are good gaas games. Helldivers is an example.

[Cacabunga]

Storm

There are also so many trash ones.. what are you trying to say?

[Crows90]

Leadership....that's it. After 4 years...it's all on leadership.

[isarai]

Well with how much care part 2 had put into it, I think they just decided to put factions to the side to get that over the finish line. Then shortly after they wanted to expand the multiplayer which delayed it even more. And then they wanted to convert it into a games as a service title which I think changing gears that many times just shattered what was there and just wasn't coming back together well enough to ship

[jambola]

Even if they wanted a full version, I wish they could have put a smaller version in the game, even as a teaser
at least then we could have the same as the first game

[jambola]

@shaenoide
dead? Palworld literally has 20k people playing at this moment on steam alone
that's huge, in what world is that "dead"

[Dogpool]

The issue here is that Sony listened to Bungie, who said factions 2 would fail, when in reality it was probably exactly what we all wanted. It was most likely very good. We all know what’s happened to Bungie since. They probably also advised Sony to double down on Concord

[P_Bomb]

Shoulda kept it simple and released a new Factions with the Remaster.

[RaidenBlack]

Incomplete Factions 2.0 is still >>> Concord

[babadivad]

What, you don't want to play as a robot with pronouns???

[generic-user-name]

This, the only heads that should roll are the ones who greenlit Concord while letting Factions get cancelled.

[Chocoburger]

They didn't need to go LIVE SERVICE route. Just release it as a standard multi-player game without the GAAS trash.
An unbelievable waste of time and money all for nothing.

[attilayavuzer]

Really an incredible bag fumble by Sony here. A sequel to a beloved multiplayer mode of a beloved franchise. This should've been a lay up that printed money for them. Only potential silver lining is that ND isn't stuck in GaaS development purgatory for the next 10 years supporting it.

[Crows90]

But they need competent people heading the studio....otherwise it breaks down...

[Cacabunga]

Herman and Jim decided otherwise..
i am actually glad the gaas obsession seems to have vanished from Sony plans with all these miss ups

[Toecutter00]

Namely, Jim Ryan's head rolled by pivoting Sony hard onto the GAAS train wreck. Every decision he made was catastrophically stupid: PSVR 2, 12 GAAS in the pipeline, buying Bungie, forcing Insomniac to change Peter Parker to look more like Tom Holland (and also somehow younger than Miles Morales), Playstation Portal, etc. In his short time he put Sony back financially at least a decade. This is what you get when you promote the clowns from marketing to high profile positions. Steve Jobs explained it perfectly in an interview many decades ago.

[anast]

I agree with a lot here. However, VR gaming is the future and Sony would be stupid to let their foot off the gas when it comes to VR. The 12 Gaas games were a greedy marketing move, for sure.

[ravens52]

Agreed, except the psvr2 and portal. The portal is selling a ton so that was a smart move and it's a great device. The PSVR2 isn't doing as good but it's still a great headset so that personally was an ok move to me. Everything else smdh f Jim Ryan.

[Toecutter00]

Nothing wrong with the PSVR 2 in itself, but it was priced out of relevancy costing more than the PS5. The price has gone down now that Sony has abandoned the device after a year. That's bad business and it's devastating to consumer trust.

[Aussiesummer]

The psvr is let down by God awful Fresnel lenses, they look horrendous.

[-Foxtrot]

The game was cancelled in December…officially to us anyway

Jim announced his retirement in September

It’s still possible he knew what was coming and decided to go out on a high.

His plans haven’t worked out and he’s the one who pushed all this when he was in charge. Concord will be next and I don’t see anyone showing massive hype for Fairgame$.

Then you have all the other core studios like ND who have probably wasted their time on live service stuff.

He most likely saw what would happen and decided to get out before his career legacy was tarnished.

No one puts a plan like he did in action and then leaves before anything comes from it because he suddenly wants to take early retirement

[CrimsonWing69]

They call it “retirement” but he was forced to resign, 100%. Literally, what they do to people where I work. I know things behind the scenes where I work and then the next day there’s a company email that says so-and-so is “retiring.”

I personally think with the Microsoft and Activision debacle, where Jim took it to court and had all the Sony dirty laundry leaked, the GaaS focus, and honestly the sales decline Year over Year for this Gen sealed his fate for “retirement.” The fact that Concord is about to flop makes me think they might cancel more of the GaaS initiative.

[-Foxtrot]

@CrimsonWing69

Oh totally. Like the early retirement scenario benefits both parties

Jim Ryan's image and legacy isn't tarnished by his screw up, he gets to leave with his head held high, a good overall image and will keep any respect he's gathered over his long career.

Sony gets to avoid embarrassment and ridicule that they'd have if the truth came out. People would put 2 and 2 together realising it's because of the whole live service plan which people wouldn't live down. It would make them look like failures and would just overall be bad PR.

They've came together with a mutual agreement and parted ways on good terms.

"The fact that Concord is about to flop makes me think they might cancel more of the GaaS initiative"

If it does flop bad then I think it's going to change Fairgame$ development and how it's done, it may even get delayed. I can't see them releasing another generic sounding live service game if Concord does flop.

[StormSnooper]

Whose head rolled at MS for only releasing gaas games? Or does this only apply to Sony?

[attilayavuzer]

Sony can't afford to release duds.

[StormSnooper]

Clearly, Sony care about the reputation of its studios. MS might release dumpster fires and then bankroll a sinking ship, but for Sony they will not allow a studio with a heritage like ND's to release something subpar. This is why Sony makes bangers and MS makes mediocre.

[Inverno]

What I wouldn't give to see gameplay. If this leaked even a little it could could be good incentive for them to let em finish it release it. This could've been one of the best MP game ever. I'm still massively disappointed!

[SonyStyled]

There were a couple video clips and photos that leaked in 2019-2020ish of Factions 2. I remember it being a close combat encounter in a winter setting. Was pretty rough and lacking textures and frame rate. Was probably from a build of the real Factions 2 before the GaaS shift

[anast]

I would have played it.

[Seth_hun]

This could have been very good, i liked the LoU multiplayer.The games are very good, the Tv show was good received,a well established franchise, but no, shoot down this project and pour money into Concord instead, what a good idea

[gold_drake]

4 years ?

man, i do miss uncharted 2s multiplayer sometimes, it was soo good

[DarXyde]

Uncharted 2 multiplayer was beautiful chaos. Those kind of chaotic multiplayer games are the only ones I like. This, Warhawk, BlazBlue, and to an extent Killzone 2 was pretty much my whole multiplayer experience on PS3.

Outstanding fun times.

[-Foxtrot]

Peak multiplayer during the PS3 where COD hype was at a high and every other online game was trying to copy it with it's own gimmicks. Uncharted 2 was barebones and only had two boosters to choose from.

Two boosters (that were redundant by the time you were level 30 or so)

Same loadout for everyone (AK-47 & Pistol)

That's it.

It was perfect and probably the most balanced multiplayer around during its release

Then Uncharted 3 & 4 ruined it

[gold_drake]

absolutely agree. i loved the maps it had the most

[lucian229]

It's the main reason why they haven't made a. Game in like a decade

[StormSnooper]

Ok buddy, let’s lay off the hyperbole just a bit.

[hombreacabado]

it didnt need to be that complicated. i miss the days when naughty dog would release a full single player game with awesome fun multiplayer. seems like those days are long gone now.

[jambola]

same, the ps3 era was amazing for that
could have a fun game with some multiplayer
was it always great? hell no, but it was still nice to have the extra bit

[lucian229]

It's been one game in the last ten years, that better? Please do better. It will probably be 3-5 years before we see another game finished and that would have been done if they didn't waste time on this MP game.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

Nothing made me doubt Sony like the scrapping of Factions.

People blame the GaaS model, but I think Helldivers shows that it can totally work.

I blame Bungie for trashing a game that was likely better than their last 2 games.

[PanzerPooLBoy]

they deserve the problems they have because they put their players through that horrific agenda-fest tlou2.. i have ZERO sympathy for naughty dog, their company deserves to just die and go bankrupt

[dveio]

What agenda was that again you are so rage fueled by?

[PanzerPooLBoy]

not having a back and forth with u.. i have already come across u lou2 fans like 10,000 times on the internet.. i tell u what u already know and then u try to gaslight me about it.. u people never have actual comments or questions u just try to poke holes in what other people say.. if u like the game go like the game.. im sure druckmann will have even more drivel for u to slurp up on the next one.. have at it

[jambola]

he doesn't wish to defend his positions, just yell about them

[dveio]

When you have zero sympathy and wish them to die, this seems rage fueled to me.

That's why I asked what agenda it was the made you so upset that you even wish people to lose their jobs.

I find it sad that you don't want to answer such a simple question like a kid would ask "Oh, so why you like the color blue?"

[StormSnooper]

Stupid comment.

[lucian229]

Okay Mr, shush. The game was amazing just because it didn't get the narrative you wanted doesn't mean it was bad.

[esherwood]

Wish the government held people responsible like that, how come know one in the government ever gets fired for failure

[BrockEmSockEm]

Factions was so GD fun! They screwed up.

[Ninver]

Alot of money, resources and time wasted on what could have been another AAA IP. We need something from them this gen!

[purple101]

To pull a silver lining from this, game was cancelled, that may enable those 100 developers to all be on the new game development instead of splitting the team this means we should see it pretty soon right?

[jambola]

TLoU2 was divisive
now this
I really worry naughty dog is going the same way as Bethesda or Blizzard and will lost all the good will they have
hope i'm wrong, uncharted and tlou1 were phenomenal, but I feel like I don't care about them right now
and they used to be a guaranteed buy from me

[MetroidFREAK21]

I would've played this

[jznrpg]

In the end Factions not releasing and succeeding is a good thing.

If Naughty Dog had a money printing machine gaas then we would lose out on the single player games that we really want. They would focus on GaaS after that and apparently they didn’t want that and we definitely didn’t want that.