The Last of Us has become one of the most popular game franchises ever made; however, with the reports of Naughty Dog laying off staff, it looks as if the new spin-off title may be in question.
Naughty Dog has had a successful time as a video game company, with several franchises such as the Uncharted series becoming extremely well-received among fans and gamers; however, the company’s most successful franchise so far is that of The Last of Us. Which has risen to the heights and become one of PlayStation`s best-selling games to date.
The Last of Us Has Gotten So Popular Over These Last Few Years That a Multiplayer Spin-off Was Inevitable
When it was released in 2013, no one, not even Naughty Dog, could have predicted how popular The Last of Us would become. The game sees the world hit by an apocalypse caused by spores, and the game features the ideas of friendship and looking for hope even when things look bleak.
It resonated with fans like none of the company’s previous titles had, with many fans to this day claiming that the plot of The Last of Us is one of the best written, with the game series gaining a second title in late 2020 and even a HBO TV series adaptation of the first game starring the ever-popular Pedro Pascal, with reports of a further two series on the way.
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With the series still fresh and at its peak popularity since 2020, the team at Naughty Dog reported that it had started working on a new The Last of Us spin-off multiplayer title and even went as far as releasing some concept art for it. This will be the third game in the franchise, but the first that may not focus on the series protagonist, Ellie.
What Is Happening at Naughty Dog?
While the franchise seems to be getting bigger, Naughty Dog has had to downsize recently, releasing 25 staff recently. However, according to Kotaku, these are just contractors who will be seeing their contracts cut off and have stated that all full-time staff jobs are safe. But while these staff are due to leave at the end of October, how will this affect the development of future projects at the company?
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While nothing is certain at this time, Naughty Dog has confirmed it has chosen its next project, and there is an insight into the multiplayer spin-off, as it is not completely cancelled, but as Kotaku states, “on ice,” and this has been congregated through several other sources and sites around the internet. When the quality and attention being given to the project were questioned, Bloomberg reported that a “small group were still working on it.”
This confirms for fans that there is still a chance at the multiplayer spin-off making it to full release, though with a smaller team it may slow progress down for the game. However, this update shows the fans that while going through turbulent times, Naughty Dog is still working hard to give fans what they want, and with the knowledge that the game is not dead, it gives hope for the future of The Last of Us franchise.
This is good news for fans who have been waiting on news of a release for six months. The last announcement by the development company came on March 1, during which Naughty Dog announced the PC port of The Last of Us, which came as a disappointment to many who were hoping for a new game and many hoping for a third instalment in the franchise.
Naughty Dog previously released a statement urging fans to give it more time for the game, with that being the last words given so far on the progress of the development. So while fans eagerly await more news on The Last of Us, they can only hope these recent layoffs won’t affect the development too much and they get to see the game very soon.
Are you looking forward to other Naughty Dog projects, or are you pumped for the latest instalment of The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments!
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