Key Points
Naughty Dog's plan for a standalone multiplayer game, The Last of Us Online, after six years of development, faced cancellation in late 2023..
The decision, driven by studio priorities, aimed to prevent a shift away from single-player games...
Originally conceived as an expansion of the Factions multiplayer mode, The Last of Us Part 2's online component evolved into Naughty Dog's ambitious standalone multiplayer project..
Balancing the demands of a live-service game like The Last of Us Online with the commitment to single-player narrative games was deemed unsustainable for the studio...
Naughty Dog canceled The Last of Us Online on December 14, 2023, citing a choice between becoming a live-service games studio or prioritizing their legacy of single-player narrative games..
