Sony’s decision to bury multiplayer in The Last of Us years ago left fans without an official way to play with others—but one programmer is now attempting to dig that functionality back out.
The original online experience for the first game, which launched in 2013, was quietly shut down in 2020. Part II, released in 2020, never had a multiplayer component at launch. Yet, a single modder is now working on re-creating faction-based matches, a process that involves reverse-engineering network protocols and patching gaps left by Sony’s own tools.
What’s being rebuilt—and what isn’t
The effort centers on recreating the cooperative and competitive modes from Part I, but without the original server infrastructure. Instead, it relies on peer-to-peer connections stitched together through custom code. This means no matchmaking, no persistent worlds, just raw player versus player or co-op sessions—closer to a technical demo than a full revival.
- No official support or servers
- Limited to small-scale testing
- No progression or save data compatibility
A reality check: stability and performance will likely lag behind native play, and the modder has confirmed no plans for anti-cheat integration. For most players, this remains a curiosity rather than a viable alternative.
The bigger question: Why now?
Part II’s single-player campaign is widely regarded as one of the strongest in gaming, but its lack of multiplayer left a noticeable hole. The modder’s work suggests demand hasn’t vanished—yet whether it can scale beyond a niche audience remains uncertain.
The project, still in early stages, hinges on whether the underlying code can be adapted without breaking the game’s core systems. If successful, it could redefine what ‘official’ means for a title with no stated multiplayer future.
