Many fans expected The Last of Us Part 2 to launch with a multiplayer mode like the first game, but Naughty Dog delayed it, claiming it became too ambitious to include with the single-player campaign. The Last of Us is a primarily single-player series, so the lack of multiplayer didn’t seem to affect the game's reputation, as it became the most awarded video game ever. Nevertheless, The Last of Us 2 was released on June 19, 2020, and many fans of the first game's Factions multiplayer are wondering where its successor is.
The Last of Us' Factions was a surprisingly fun addition to the first game. The multiplayer mode translated the campaign's gameplay loop of scavenging resources and fighting off enemies into a PvP setting, forcing players to use their survival skills to win. Faction game modes included Supply Raid (team deathmatch), Survivors (no-respawn team deathmatch), and Interrogation, in which players interrogated opponents to locate and steal a lockbox.
Factions also came with a class system that contained many weapons and perks not available in story mode. This made class-building unique and allowed for a wide variability of loadouts to fit specific playstyles. Between the amount of content in TLOU1's multiplayer and the gaming community's general changes in expectations for multiplayer game modes since 2013, it's no wonder TLOU2's Faction mode has been delayed.
No Word On The Last Of Us 2's Faction Mode, But There Is A Recent Job Offer
Unfortunately, Naughty Dog has been silent on the progress of The Last of Us 2’s multiplayer. Though it did warn fans ahead of time, almost two years have gone by without any updates. A recent Naughty Dog job listing, however, does hint at aspects of its multiplayer experience. This person would "create avenues for self-expression for [Naughty Dog's] players, ensure robust longevity to our games, and give our players great rewards to strive for."
At the very least, the job listing suggests multiplayer is still in development. Whether the maps, game modes, and loadouts are finished and only the live-service aspect is under review or major mechanics and gameplay systems still need to be worked, the game is appears to be progressing in some fashion - though it's likely been internally delayed further due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans may not see TLOU2's multiplayer until winter 2021, or sometime in 2022.
Whatever players have to say about The Last of Us 2's controversial story, its new gameplay mechanics were a mostly universally welcomed improvement over TLOU1. Going prone, jumping, dodging, craftable silencers, various arrow types, and more mean there is a lot to incorporate into an expanded multiplayer mode, with new maps, changing verticality, and new tactics to implement. Hopefully, Naughty Dog will deliver a more concrete update soon for those anticipating Factions mode's arrival.