Even though 2013’s The Last of Us is remembered for its single-player experience, the game also featured a multiplayer mode called Factions. For those who played it, TLOU’s multiplayer mode was fantastic, and thus, many were wondering if the mode was going to return when the sequel hits the PlayStation 4 on February 21.
Sadly, after an update from Naughty Dog earlier this week, we now know that The Last of Us Part II won’t come with a multiplayer mode at launch. You can check out their tweet regarding Factions in TLOU II below.
An update regarding multiplayer: pic.twitter.com/CUd98LgJGC
— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) September 27, 2019
The developers of what’s probably the most anticipated PlayStation exclusive game in quite some time have also confirmed that they’re big fans of the Factions mode and that they want to do something resembling the mode in The Last of Us Part II. But, while they are working on developing an online-based mode for their upcoming release, Naughty Dog has put almost all of their resources into creating the best single-player experience possible.
As of right now, it’s unclear when the Factions mode will be added to The Last of Us Part II, but at least we know that it’s coming and that it’s not shipping with the core game. So, in short, players know exactly what they’re getting when they pre-order the game.
It’s also unclear if the mode will be added for free, or if Sony will decide to charge players to download it, which is what Rockstar has done with Red Dead Redemption 2’s online expansion.
Before this week’s State of Play, there was a rumor going around which suggested that Sony and Naughty Dog were planning to announce a multiplayer beta for The Last of Us Part II, but now that we know it’ll be a little while before we’re getting an online mode in the game, it’s probably safe to assume that a beta won’t be coming anytime soon.
Back in 2016, Naughty Dog did a multiplayer beta for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End before the game shipped, and while they won’t do the same thing before The Last of Us Part II ships in February, they’ll likely give players an early-access trial before they officially release the standalone Factions mode.
But, the game’s single-player experience should keep players busy in the meantime, as the game’s creator, Neil Druckmann, has said repeatedly that it’s the most ambitious game that Naughty Dog has ever developed. So, it’ll be packed with tons of single-player content upon release.
