The Last of Us II launched without a multiplayer mode when the single-player campaign became “far and away the most ambitious project” the developer had ever created. A recent datamine suggests the game may once have had multiplayer modes, and some speculate that those assets could be used in the future for Naughty Dog’s standalone multiplayer project. Youtuber Speclizer has uncovered unused multiplayer assets that hint towards the possibility of a battle royale mode.
One of the most prominent items Speclizer uncovered was a map prop showing a really large play space. The locations included are the Port of Camallito, Camallito, Adler Park, and Adler Plaza with points of interest that include a gas station, estate, nature center, and motel. Note that many of these are the same environments that appear in the The Last of Us Part II’s story. Speclizer theorized the size of the map suggested “there’s a huge chance this could be used for a battle royale mode. The location names suggest the map will likely be different single player maps merged together to create one big map.” While not included in the video, he also found a compass, emote wheel script and a player count “which is usually only used in battle royales.”
Speclizer also found a handheld TV whose purpose is unknown, and a collar that he thought suggested dogs could appear in multiplayer. There’s a Listen Mode Device too, so the single-player campaign’s listen mode may not be readily available to players in multiplayer unless they have the right gadget. There are other assets he’s been unable to restore so far, such as backpack models that hint at six different multiplayer classes: assault, melee, sniper, stealth, support, and tactical. Concluding his findings were helmet and torso armor models for Ellie. You can take a closer look at these assets in the video below.
However, we must include the caveat that unused assets are not indicative of current plans, and the models found are low-poly items that may have been placeholders or in planning/testing. Naughty Dog may have very well abandoned or changed these ideas since. Speclizer’s video is largely speculative about these findings and what they mean.
Naughty Dog made the decision not to include multiplayer in The Last of Us II when the planned Factions mode “grew beyond an additional mode that could be included with our enormous single player campaign.” They promised players would “experience the fruits of our team’s online ambition” although we’re yet to hear anything more on this updated mode. Previous job listings have hinted at a standalone multiplayer game that would feature “the same level of ambition and quality of our signature, story-driven games.” Whether this is a battle royale title or some other form of multiplayer closer to the original Factions remains to be seen.
[Source: YouTube]