The Last of Us multiplayer is delayed, but Naughty Dog is working on a new single-player game

The Last of Us 2

The Last of Us multiplayer has been pushed back internally, but Naughty Dog has made up for it by confirming that "a brand-new single player experience" is also in the works.

In a tweet earlier today, the studio said that while it knows many fans have been looking forward to hearing about the multiplayer project and the team is "incredibly proud" of its work so far, "we've realized what is best for the game is to give it more time."

pic.twitter.com/DOeO8ZHSlhMay 26, 2023

Naughty Dog goes on to say that it's continuing with the project, "as well as our other games in development, including a brand-new single-player experience." There's no word on what that is - the wording even makes it tough to judge whether it's a Last of Us title - but the tie-in with the multiplayer delay is almost sure to set tongues wagging about The Last of Us Part 3. Plus, "other games" implies that there's more in store beyond the delayed multiplayer project and newly-confirmed single-player game.

Moments after the official announcement, Bloomberg published a report suggesting that development on the multiplayer game had been scaled back. "A small group remains on the project while the company reevaluates the direction," the report claims. "While the game has not been canceled, many of its developers have been moved to other projects."

Earlier this week, PlayStation announced in a financial report that Destiny 2 developer Bungie was helping the publisher complete a "rigorous review process" of its upcoming live service catalog (via TweakTown). According to Bloomberg, this Last of Us multiplayer delay was a casualty of that process, with the review process raising concerns about the game's "ability to keep players engaged for a long period of time."

Naughty Dog has already decided on its next game, but is yet to confirm a third entry in the series. That, however, has not stopped fans from assuming that a follow-up to Ellie's story is pretty much a sure thing.

The Last of Us multiplayer was perhaps the most notable absence from this week's PlayStation Showcase.