According to the LinkedIn profile of Ian Blake, a former associate game designer at Naughty Dog, the studio’s troubled The Last of Us Multiplayer game could feature lobbies for up to 40 players.
Blake’s profile lists a multiplayer project that he worked on for over a year-and-a-half, which includes the following:
Designed and implemented several systems and set pieces and refined them through regular playtests and feedback
Worked in a dedicated host environment, designing and optimizing for up to 40 clients
While it doesn’t mention The Last of Us Multiplayer by name, it’s very likely that the mysterious multiplayer title is indeed the long-delayed project based on the popular post-apocalyptic franchise. That, or Naughty Dog has another multiplayer game in the works.
As previously reported on PSU, The Last of Us Multiplayer is allegedly sailing through choppy waters as of late, with Naughty Dog reportedly having laid off dozens of contractors involved in the project, and the company’s principle monetisation director has also departed.
Back in May, it was also reported that the Sony-owned studio had ‘significantly scaled down‘ The Last of Us Multiplayer project, with the Santa Monica outfit leading a smaller team of developers on the game while it “re-evaluates the direction” of the title.
[Source – Ian Blake on LinkedIn via Gaming Bolt]