The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog has issued a disappointing update on the announced multiplayer game: its cancellation.
Originally expected to be part of The Last of Us Part II, the game was announced to be a standalone entry in 2019, and was set to be part of PlayStation creator Sony's controversial move into live-service games.
A post on Naughty Dog's website reads: "There's no easy way to say this: We've made the incredibly difficult decision to stop development on that game...
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"As the multiplayer team iterated on their concept for The Last of Us Online during this time, their vision crystalized, the gameplay got more refined and satisfying, and we were enthusiastic about the direction in which we were headed.
"In ramping up to full production, the massive scope of our ambition became clear. To release and support The Last of Us Online we'd have to put all our studio resources behind supporting post launch content for years to come, severely impacting development on future single-player games.
"So, we had two paths in front of us: become a solely live service games studio or continue to focus on single-player narrative games that have defined Naughty Dog's heritage."
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The post also states that the "learnings and investments in technology" will be used for future projects, which includes "more than one ambitious, brand new single player game that we're working on".
Meanwhile, a PS5 remaster of 2020's Part II has been announced to release early next year, with a roguelite mode full of random elements, and the ability to play levels that were abandoned in development.
