Watch 11 Blurry Seconds of The Last of Us Part II Factions Multiplayer
Assuming the leak is genuine, it appears we're looking at an early in-house build. | Source: Naughty Dog
- An alleged leak of The Last of Us Part II’s standalone multiplayer mode surfaced online.
- A familiar UI, setting, and character suggest the leak is genuine, despite the blurry footage.
- Naughty Dog has yet to announce when it plans to release the as-yet-untitled multiplayer mode.
The Last of Us Part II’s contentious history with leaks turned the page on a new chapter today. Alleged footage of the game’s yet-to-launch multiplayer component – presumably the “Factions” mode featured in its predecessor – surfaced online.
Another Day, Another Leak at Naughty Dog
The leak comes courtesy of YouTube channel The IrishLizard and offers a brief 11-second first look . A word of warning: It’s frustratingly blurry.
Video: The Last of Us Part II Multiplayer ‘Factions’ Mode Allegedly Leaks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wF4lcfQkvk
Although the channel hasn’t shared the origins of the leak or how they obtained the footage, there’s little that throws the leak’s authenticity into question.
The UI – including the weapon selection and crafting menus – appears as it does in the PS4 single-player exclusive, which launched in June.
The blurred pixels take the shape of what seems to be supporting character Mel from The Last of Us Part II, suggesting we’ll be donning our favorite characters’ look.
The footage shows a handful of players duking it out in a snow-draped area, presumably set in the snowy ridges and abandoned towns surrounding Jackson.
We catch glimpses of various melee attacks and the use of a bow and arrow.
Assuming the leak is genuine, it appears we’re looking at an early in-house build. Performance metrics and a controller outline clutter the upper right side of the screen.
How The Last of Us Part II’s Online Mode Morphed Into a Standalone Project
Although Naughty Dog has yet to stamp an official name on the standalone mode, it is expected to pick up where the online mode from the original The Last of Us left off.
Naughty Dog initially planned to launch Factions alongside the single-player game. The team’s “vision” grew to such an extent that Factions morphed into a standalone multiplayer project .
Back in late 2019, Naughty Dog explained:
As we’ve stated, the single-player campaign is far and away the most ambitious project Naughty Dog has ever undertaken. Likewise, as development began on the evolution of our Factions mode from The Last of Us Part I, the vision of the team grew beyond an additional mode that could be included with our enormous single-player campaign.
Wanting to support both visions, we made the difficult choice that The Last of Us Part II would not include an online mode. However, you will eventually experience the fruits of our team’s online ambition, but not as part of The Last of Us Part II.
As always, we suggest taking the leak with a pinch of salt.
