Summary
A reputable industry insider leaked a screenshot fromThe Last of Us Online, revealing its main menu and several features that the developers had in store for the recently scrapped project.Naughty Dog officially canceledThe Last of Us Onlineon December 14, citing a desire to avoid going all-in on live service games.
The cancelation came as a major disappointment to the fandom, not least becauseThe Last of Us Onlinehad been in development for years prior to being canned. The game was initially envisioned as a multiplayer component ofThe Last of Us 2, but ended up being spun off into a standalone experience circa 2019. Naughty Dog finallyconfirmed thatThe Last of Us Onlinewas in developmentin summer 2022, only to scrap the game a year and a half later.
Following the news of the project’s cancellation, known industry insider Dusk Golem took to the ResetEra forums toshare an imagefromThe Last of Us Onlinethat they “had lying around.” The leaked screenshot depicts the game’s main menu, which itself reveals several previously unconfirmed details about the canceled project. E.g., the BattlePass tab near the top of the screen indicates that Naughty Dog was planning to adopt a tiered progression system pioneered by the likes ofDotA 2andFortnitefor monetizing the game.
The Last of Us Online Leaked Features
The Last of Us Onlinealso had at least one kind of in-game currency and a digital store, the screenshot reveals. Seasonal content would have been part of the package as well, together with a feature called Bunk that might have been the game’s take on theFortniteArmory. The leak also substantiated the long-standingrumor thatThe Last of Us Onlinehad a battle royale mode, which was apparently called Survivor Solos during development.
The multiplayer Factions mode fromThe Last of Uswas also expected to make a return in the canceled game, although its existence hasn’t been explicitly confirmed by this newly emerged image. What the screenshot did reveal was thatThe Last of UsOnlinehad a Jobs Board—which presumably offered limited-time quests—and a menu feature called Study, which was possibly tied to character customization and progression, much like Bunk.
Given how many resources were poured intoThe Last of Us Onlineprior to its cancelation, it is possible that the developer will attempt to repurpose some of its systems in its future titles. There are alreadyseveral such unannounced Naughty Dog gamesin the works, although all of them are of the single-player variety, making major feature exchange between them andTLOU Onlinesomewhat less likely.
The Last of Us Part I
WHERE TO PLAY
Experience the emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters in The Last of Us, winner of over 200 Game of the Year awards, now rebuilt from the ground up for the PlayStation 5 console.In a ravaged civilization, where infected and hardened survivors run rampant, Joel, a weary protagonist, is hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a military quarantine zone. However, what starts as a small job soon transforms into a brutal cross-country journey.- Completely rebuilt using Naughty Dog’s latest PS5 engine technology with advanced visual fidelity, fully integrated DualSense™ wireless controller features, and more.- A total overhaul of the original experience, faithfully reproduced but incorporating modernized gameplay mechanics, improved controls, and expanded accessibility options.- Feel immersed in improved environmental storytelling, effects, facial animations, and enhanced exploration and combat.
