Fans of The Last of Us were hit with disappointment in late 2023 when Naughty Dog officially cancelled The Last of Us Online. Now, one of the project’s directors has revealed what comes next, and it is still multiplayer! However, not directly related to the Last of Us!
Vinit Agarwal, director of the now-cancelled The Last of Us Online, has teamed up with former Naughty Dog creative director and writer Joe Pettinati to start a new studio and work on a project together. Both spoke in an interview with Japanese media outlet GameSpark, later picked up by VideoGamesChronicle. Here is a recap of what they shared!
From Cancelled Dreams to New Beginnings
Vinit Agarwal, who spent about a decade at Naughty Dog, was the director of The Last of Us Online. The multiplayer spin-off was really anticipated by many players, thanks to the popularity of Factions (the mode that was released with the original The Last of Us in 2013).
But after years of work, the project was canceled in December 2023. Naughty Dog explained that it would have required the studio to shift fully into live-service support. This was a move that risked slowing down the single-player games they are best known for.
The cancellation was a bitter loss. Agarwal in particular saw strong potential in mixing cinematic action with multiplayer gameplay, something he had been passionate about during his years at Naughty Dog.
A New Studio With Familiar Faces
Instead of stepping away, Agarwal doubled down on multiplayer. Together with ex-Naughty Dog creative director and writer Joe Pettinati, he has founded a new studio.
The team currently sits at around 10 people but plans to expand to about 30. Interestingly, the studio will run with two hubs. Agarwal is leading operations in Japan, and Pettinati in the U.S. The official name of the studio has not been revealed yet.
What They Are Building Next
In the interview with GameSpark, Agarwal described their first project as a “triple-indie”. This means indie in team size, but with AAA-level ambition in design:
- Focus
- Multiplayer game
- Goal
- Capture the same cinematic intensity of Naughty Dog’s single-player action, but in a competitive online environment
- Progress
- Development has been ongoing for only a few months, but Agarwal says he already playtests weekly with friends
The game will not be The Last of Us Online or use Sony IP, but it will still be a nice successor to Factions.
The Design DNA
Agarwal’s background at Naughty Dog gives a good idea of what you can expect. He specialized in designing boss battles that feel like fighting a real person, even in single-player. Some of his work includes:
- The final boss in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
- The tense Ellie vs. Abby fight in The Last of Us Part II
He now wants to bring that same intensity into a multiplayer game, mixing cinematic, narrative-driven encounters with nice design.
For now, the game is unannounced and not yet ready for a public reveal. However, the studio is already in talks with potential partners, with more news expected down the line. If it works out, it could bring a whole new kind of multiplayer experience!
Keep an eye on our latest news, as we will update you when more information releases.
