Former Naughty Dog developer Vinit Agarwal recently revealed that the studio’s ambitious standalone multiplayer title set in The Last of Us universe was nearly finished before its sudden cancellation in 2023. Speaking on the Lance E. Lee Podcast, Agarwal disclosed that the project, which spent seven years in active development, was approximately 80% complete. The project originally began as an expansion of the “Factions” mode from the 2013 original but eventually ballooned into a massive live-service undertaking that the studio ultimately deemed too resource-intensive to maintain.
The decision to shutter the project reportedly came down to a fundamental choice regarding the studio’s long-term identity. Agarwal noted that the influx of industry funding during the COVID-19 pandemic initially allowed the project to thrive, but as the market stabilized, Naughty Dog faced a crossroads. The leadership had to decide between pivoting to become a dedicated live-service studio or continuing its legacy of high-end, single-player narratives. Choosing the latter meant canceling the multiplayer game just 24 hours before the public announcement, a move Agarwal described as “devastating” for the team involved.
This internal shift has paved the way for the studio’s next major release, a new science fiction IP titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Revealed at The Game Awards 2024, the title is being positioned as a creative departure for the studio while maintaining the character-driven depth seen in their previous work. While fans of the original Factions mode remain disappointed by the loss of a modern successor, Naughty Dog has signaled that preserving their capacity for single-player innovation was the primary driver behind the cancellation.
In addition to the new IP, the studio appears to be laying the groundwork for the future of its flagship franchise. Creative director Neil Druckmann recently shared social media posts that many fans interpret as a tease for The Last of Us Part 3, referencing “a few stops” remaining on the journey. Between the development of Intergalactic and the inevitable return to Joel and Ellie’s world, the resources once tied to the multiplayer project are now firmly committed to the cinematic experiences that defined the studio’s reputation.
