Famed developer Naughty Dog may have a special reveal planned at the upcoming PlayStation Showcase, which may not come as a large surprise to some. Naughty Dog has been quiet since releasing The Last of Us Part II released last summer, and the studio has already confirmed its working on a standalone multiplayer spin-off. That said, no one knows when it's releasing nor has the studio given any idea of what to expect from the mode.
Even now, Naughty Dog's mysterious multiplayer game is still hiring, so there's no telling how far along it is right now. The studio is no stranger to seeing developers come and go, and the active job listings don't necessarily indicate the project is still in its early days. Naughty Dog was also working on the mode while making The Last of Us 2 but set it to the side at some point during production to focus on the single-player story. With a substantial PlayStation event on the horizon, it seems like the time to unveil the game could be fast approaching.
A simple, vague tweet from Naughty Dog game designer Grant Hoechst has led to some speculation that the developer will be at PlayStation's event with news of some kind, possibly related to a new game. Of course, it's also entirely plausible Hoechst is just excited for the other announcements at the upcoming PlayStation Showcase. However, since the developer's multiplayer project is long overdue for a reveal, it seems like there's a chance it'll be seen at the event. Exactly what Hoechst's reaction means won't be known for sure until September 9.
Because Sony has had to delay all of its major holiday exclusives into 2022, having Naughty Dog's standalone multiplayer game on PS4 and PS5 would help soften the blow. Without it, Sony will be relying on its third-partners such as Rockstar and Activision, which will be releasing a remaster of Grand Theft Auto V and Call of Duty: Vanguard, respectively. Although these are massive titles and almost inevitable chart-toppers for the 2021 holiday season, Sony has nothing in its first-party lineup to compete with something like Xbox's Halo Infinite.
Leaks have already indicated that there may be a battle royale mode in The Last of Us' new multiplayer spin-off, but nothing has been confirmed. If Sony could leverage a battle royale - or even just a standard free-to-play multiplayer experience set within The Last of Us universe - this holiday, it could be what convinces some customers to purchase a PS5 for a new, exclusive online experience. For now, though, Naughty Dog is remaining quiet about its next moves.
Source: Grant Hoechst/Twitter