Naughty Dog job listing suggests a live service multiplayer game is coming

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And it's likely The Last of Us 2's upcoming multiplayer mode

the last of us 2
(Image credit: Sony)

Naughty Dog is hiring for an upcoming multiplayer game with live service elements, according to a recent job listing for an economy designer.

As spotted by GameSpot, The Last of Us 2 studio is looking for someone who can "design, implement, and tune game economy and player progression systems" in an unspecified "multiplayer action game." Most likely, the job listing is referencing The Last of Us 2's upcoming standalone multiplayer mode, Factions.

We haven't seen much from Factions for a while, aside from a since-deleted gameplay leak, but this new job listing could shed some light on what to expect. Assuming Naughty Dog isn't working on a completely separate multiplayer game - which isn't out of the realm of possibility - it sounds like The Last of Us 2 Factions will have a pretty robust, long-term in-game economy.

Several bullet points in the job listing specifically reference the player and game economy, as well as a "Live Ops team" that'll work alongside the economy designer to optimize the economy and "respond to player needs."

Most modern multiplayer games are at least partially funded by live service elements, so it's not a huge surprise to see Naughty Dog take that approach for the Last of Us 2's multiplayer mode. The first Factions from 2013 has commanded a modest, but loyal following in the years since launch, and Naughty Dog no doubt has even bigger plans for the follow-up.

The Last of Us 2 Factions is just one of many upcoming PS5 games we can't wait to check out.

Jordan Gerblick
Jordan Gerblick
Staff Writer

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.