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Factions is the upcoming multiplayer live-service title from Naughty Dog set in The Last of Us universe. The standalone multiplayer title was initially supposed to be a multiplayer mode in The Last of Us 2, but thanks to the team's ambitions, it grew to become its own thing.
The PlayStation is slowly and steadily branching towards making more first-party multiplayer experiences, and The Last of Us 2 Factions will undoubtedly be one of the biggest live-service releases for the PS5 generation.
But what exactly is The Last of Us 2 Factions? Most importantly, how ambitious is this project, and what can you expect from this Naughty Dog-developed multiplayer experience?
Our guide explains everything about Factions, including its release date, story, modes, platforms, and more, to answer your questions.
Updated on 19 December 2023: This article was updated and checked for the latest 'The Last of Us 2 Factions' news and leaks.
The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer has officially been cancelled! This will be our final article update.
The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer Latest News
Unfortunately, there's still radio silence on TLOU Part 2 Factions.
In an interview with IGN, Neil Druckmann was asked about TLOU Part 3, and stated: "No comment. I'll just say our focus on... We have the multiplayer game coming out and we're going to reveal more about that later this year."
Check out the new concept art for The Last of Us Part 2 Multiplayer, as revealed by Naughty Dog.
There is a low chance that The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer will show up at The Game Awards 2022, but we might see a new trailer for HBO's The Last of US TV series.
Tune in the watch The Game Awards 2022 via the YouTube stream embedded below. It kicks off on 8 December at 7:30 PM ET / 4:30 PM PT and 9 December at 00:30 GMT.
The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer game could be free-to-play, and lean heavily into a battle pass style model adopted by numerous other games in recent years.
As spotted by the Gaming Leaks And Rumours Subreddit, Fortnite’s Senior Systems Designer, Anders Howard, has moved to Naughty Dog as a Principal Monetization Designer according to his LinkedIn profile.
According to Howard's LinkedIn, the designer was responsible for “form[ing] the core of Battle Pass progression strategy, delivering overwhelming value for that product to as many players as possible”.
This all certainly lends weight to the idea that The Last of Us Multiplayer game could be free-to-play, and lean heavily into a battle pass style model adopted by numerous other games in recent years.
The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer Release Date Speculation
At the time of writing, there is no official confirmed release date for The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer, but in this article, you’ll find all (if any) information that the developer shared, as well as some speculation from Ginx on when we could see it launch.
It's rumored to release sometime in 2023.
The Factions mode was planned to release alongside The Last of Us 2 in 2020 though thanks to its growing scope, the studio decided to delay it and make it its own thing.
Naughty Dog has confirmed that we will see and hear more about The Last of Us 2 Factions in 2023. Does this mean we will also get a release date for the same year? Only time will tell.
The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer Story, Characters & Setting
The Last of Us 2 Factions features a new cast of characters and takes place in an entirely new location. Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann confirmed this info during Summer Games Fest 2022, where he also revealed the first concept art of this upcoming project.
The concept art also confirmed the setting of The Last of Us 2 Factions. As you may have guessed by the Golden Gate Bridge in the background, Factions take place in San Franciso, or at least, a part of it takes place there.
Druckmann also briefly touched on the scope and size of the project during his segment at the Summer Games Fest 2022. "It’s as big as any of our single-player games and in some ways bigger," he said. " It’s got a story. The way we’re telling that story is unique to this game.
Will The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer have a Battle Royale Mode?
While there has been no confirmation, plenty of rumors and leaks suggest a battle royale is coming to the standalone Factions game.
The concept art features an approaching sandstorm, which could be a storm circle seen in most battle royale games.
There are also some leaked assets from The Last of Us 2's source code that references "battle royale" and "show final circle location." The assets also contain some survival elements like "restore oxygen."
The Factions mode in The Last of Us Part 1 had survival elements, so it wouldn't be surprising if Naughty Dog overhauls those mechanics for the upcoming Factions 2.
Will The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer be free-to-play?
While not confirmed, The Last of Us Factions 2 could be a free-to-play experience. Earlier this year, Naughty Dog was hiring for a Monetization/Economy designer, which suggested a microtransaction-centric monetization model that resembles freemium titles.
In all honesty, Factions 2 as a free-to-play title would make a lot of sense. It could be huge, considering the popularity of The Last of Us franchise. It could also fill the void of a AAA free-to-play first-party title that generates constant revenue for PlayStation.
In an interview with Julien Chieze, PlayStation's Hermen Hulst revealed that future PlayStation live-service titles might come day and date on PC and PS5.
The Last of Us Part 1 remake is already on its way to PC, and Factions 2 could be even bigger, given the platform's popularity with freemium and live-service titles.
That's everything we know about The Last of Us 2 Factions.
