As a The Last of Us fan with 237 hours logged on the PlayStation 3 version alone, mostly because the original Factions multiplayer mode left me completely obsessed, it’s been hard to forgive Naughty Dog for canceling the sequel's ambitious multiplayer project.
Especially since the cancellation was shrouded in mystery, and the standalone title was never properly revealed, with fans never getting so much as a glimpse of its gameplay or mechanics. However, the truth behind the project has finally come to light, thanks to a former Naughty Dog director who was at the helm of the title.
A Pandemic Boom and a Post-Pandemic Bust
Vinit Agarwal joined Naughty Dog in 2014, contributing to Uncharted 4, The Lost Legacy, and The Last of Us Part II. But it was in 2016 that he got his own project to work on, starting as the Game Director for a massive standalone multiplayer title set in the Last of Us universe.
For years, this was one of the most anticipated mystery games in the industry, but the curtain never rose. Now, speaking on a recent episode of the Lance E. Lee Podcast, Agarwal finally shared the brutal details of the sudden cancellation....
