Naughty Dog reportedly canceled The Last of Us Online when the project was already around 80% complete, after nearly seven years of development. The standalone multiplayer title was meant to expand on the beloved “Factions” mode from The Last of Us, evolving it into a large-scale live-service experience.

Despite strong internal progress, the studio ultimately chose to shift focus. Supporting a live-service game long-term would have required massive ongoing resources, potentially pulling attention away from the single-player storytelling experiences that define Naughty Dog’s identity.