The Last of Us Part 2 has no multiplayer

Contrary to earlier statements, Naughty Dog has confirmed that The Last of Us Part 2 will not have any multiplayer components. One of its developers confirmed the lack of multiplayer to Polygon at a press event in Los Angeles this week, reversing earlier statements that indicated the game would not be a strictly single-player experience.

“Multiplayer will not be included with The Last of Us Part 2,” said Anthony Newman, the game’s co-director. “I know we had kind of announced that [it would have multiplayer], but as the game has developed, it’s become so ambitious, so grand in scope, and so intricate in its complexity, that it really required the full focus of the studio to deliver this single-player experience.”

This is a shift from an interview Polygon did with Newman back at E3 2018, when he said: “There is going to be multiplayer with the game ... We’re really excited to share details about it, but that’s going to be at a later date.”

That doesn’t rule out the possibility that future Naughty Dog games will feature multiplayer modes, though. Newman mentioned in this week’s interview that “attentive readers will have noticed our job postings,” likely referencing open positions for multiplayer roles at the company. The postings don’t detail which games or franchises these positions would be working on.

The Last of Us Part 2 is scheduled for release on Feb. 21, 2020. Read our hands-on preview to learn about one of the more terrifying enemies in the game, attack dogs, which bring a new level of regrettable brutality to this already harsh world.