Last of Us online game was 80 per cent complete before cancellation says director

A planned multiplayer title set in The Last of Us universe was reportedly around 80 per cent complete before its cancellation, according to former project director Vinit Agarwal.

The game, often referred to as The Last of Us Online, was officially cancelled by Naughty Dog in 2023 as the studio shifted focus back to single-player projects.

Agarwal, who has since left the company and founded a new studio in Japan, shared details about the project during an interview discussing his career. He said the cancellation came late in development after several years of work on the title.

Reflecting on the decision, Agarwal explained the broader context behind the shift in priorities, including Sony’s move towards live-service games during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted that online gaming saw increased engagement during lockdown periods, but interest declined as restrictions eased, leading to a reassessment of long-term investments.

He described the internal decision-making process, stating, “Okay, make this game or make the next game that Neil Druckmann was directing, the president of the company.”

He added, “They had to pick the game that was kind of the bread and butter of the studio rather than this experimental game that I was working on that I believe was going to be really big, but unfortunately couldn’t see the light of day.”

Agarwal also spoke about the personal impact of the cancellation, saying it was “soul-crushing” after spending seven years on the project. He revealed that he learned about the cancellation shortly before it was publicly announced.

Naughty Dog is currently working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet for PlayStation 5. While future entries in The Last of Us series have been suggested, no official details have been confirmed.