Sony Axes The Last Of Us Part 2 Multiplayer Mod Right Before Its Release

A fan-made multiplayer mod for The Last of Us Part 2 has been shut down just weeks before its planned release, after Sony Interactive Entertainment sent the project's creator a letter asking it not to go public. Modder Speclizer had been building the unofficial PC mod since January, and it was reportedly close to finished, with matchmaking, a loadout system, perks, and multiple maps already in place. Speclizer confirmed the news on X, saying the mod was expected to release this month and calling it "extremely sad" that it never got to come out. A 25-minute gameplay demo went up back in June, and the modder had been posting regular progress clips throughout the year, with the most recent one published on August 22.

It's not clear exactly what legal grounds Sony cited, but the mod reportedly had a Patreon component attached, which may have made it harder to look past than a mod with no funding tied to it. The mod aimed to recreate the spirit of Factions, the multiplayer mode from the original Last of Us that never made it into Part 2. It's also the second Last of Us multiplayer project to die without reaching players. Naughty Dog's own The Last of Us Online, reportedly around 80% finished, was canceled back in 2023 so the studio could stay focused on single-player games. Between that and this mod, TLOU fans hoping for a proper multiplayer mode are still out of luck. Read full story