New information hints at The Last of Us multiplayer project being a free-to-play game. The PS3 and PS4 versions of The Last of Us came with a multiplayer game mode called Factions that featured many elements from its single-player story. Factions had a big emphasis on stealth, and players could also use materials to upgrade their armor and weapons.
On the other hand, The Last of Us Part 2 did not ship with any multiplayer mode when it came out in 2020. Naughty Dog confirmed that it’s working on a multiplayer game set in The Last of Us universe, but did not share any concrete news. At the Summer Game Fest, Naughty Dog announced a standalone multiplayer experience in the world of The Last of Us, with more details to come next year. Now, new information has surfaced which may reveal more about this upcoming project.
As spotted by Insider Gaming, a job listing on the official Naughty Dog website hints that The Last of Us multiplayer game is a free-to-play title. The listing is for a producer position, and fans can check the bonus skills section at the bottom for the relevant information. It seems that Naughty Dog is looking for someone having proven experience in a production role for a AAA free-to-play game, which may reveal the nature of this upcoming multiplayer project.
A leak from earlier this year suggested that The Last of Us multiplayer game will include a battle royale mode, which also seems to convey its free-to-play roots. Ultimately, fans will have to wait for Naughty Dog to reveal full details on this game.
It should be noted that all rumors should be taken with a grain of salt and this information does not confirm that The Last of Us multiplayer game will be free to play. However, industry trends may also point to it being true. After all, many multiplayer games are adopting the free-to-play live service model, and it won’t be surprising to see Naughty Dog follow suit. AAA franchises going for this approach include Overwatch 2 and Halo Infinite multiplayer, as both launched as a free-to-play games.
The most popular franchises in gaming that have a big multiplayer focus, such as Call of Duty and FIFA, still require users to buy the full game to access the multiplayer component. However, these cases are becoming more rare, as many multiplayer games are free-to-play titles with a live service model of content delivery.
The Last of Us multiplayer game is in development.
Source: Insider Gaming