The Last of Us Gamers Heartbroken Over Cancelled Title

The Last of Us fans are still heartbroken over a game Naughty Dog cancelled, as we all reminisce about what could have been.

When The Last of Us originally launched in 2013 on PlayStation 3, it also came bundled with the multiplayer mode ‘Factions’. This was during a time when it felt like multiplayer modes were tacked on as part of a trend, but there was something unique about ‘Factions’.

Unlike the typical run-and-gun multiplayer shooter, ‘Factions’ had proper vibes of a team working together for the greater good, whether you choose to be a member of the ‘Fireflies’ or ‘Hunters’ (basically, the latter are raiders).

You’re part of a faction with other human players. Not only do you fight against other players online, but also against infected NPCs, and you’re scavenging for resources to make your faction stronger in the post-apocalyptic world.

The more matches your faction wins and resources you gather after each match, you’ll grow as a group, and other players will be more enticed to join your team. After 12 weeks, the factions reset (player progression remains) to begin a new round of survival.

While ‘Factions’ was discontinued in the PlayStation 3 version of The Last of Us, it’s still currently active with The Last of Us Remastered on PS4. Unfortunately, it’s plagued by cheaters, the last time I checked.

Fans were hoping for a new interaction of Factions, and that wish was granted with Naughty Dog announcing that The Last of Us Part II will have its own multiplayer mode.

That multiplayer mode later became a standalone release, but then it was cancelled in December 2023, all hope was dashed, especially as Factions did not return in the 2022 remake, The Last of Us Part I.

Don’t get me wrong, the cancelled The Last of Us game could have been complete pants, but at the same time, it could have been awesome. Nearly two years after it was officially cancelled, fans discuss what could have been.

“I still think about ‘The Last of Us Factions 2’,” tweeted JaeGamez. “I still don’t understand why it was cancelled.”

“They cancelled it because they underestimated the time and resources it would take to provide the game with updates and new content,” replied LikeToBeBossy. “It still sucks. I hope another studio can pick it up.”

“I was so excited as the OG [Factions] was so much fun,” recalled GringoStarr2029. “It may not sound like it makes sense, but it was the closest thing to SOCOM we've had in years. Sony really missed out on a huge chance of having something unique.”

“It could have been promising. It's just rough that they spent and wasted so much time on a project only for it to be cancelled,” exclaimed tsfa_fadil.

It’s a shame that Naughty Dog will probably never release a multiplayer mode again, but as long as Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and The Last of Us Part III knock it out of the park, I won't complain too much.