The Last of Us 2 Multiplayer May Be Free-to-Play and Have Microtransactions

Naughty Dog has publicly made clear for quite some time that it is working on a new multiplayer game which will likely be set within the world of The Last of Us Part II. This game was originally planned to be a separate game mode that released with the second The Last of Us installment back in 2020, but it eventually outgrew the original scope that Naughty Dog had for it. To this date, the project remains in development, but details on what it might have in store have largely been shrouded in secrecy. Luckily, based on a recent job listing from Naughty Dog, it looks like we now might have some more info to go off of. 

Seen in a new role for a Senior Monetization Designer at Naughty Dog, the studio has made clear that it's looking for assistance when it comes to building out an in-game economy for its multiplayer title. "We're seeking to bring the same level of ambition and quality of our signature, story-driven games to this unique multiplayer project, so we are looking for an experienced, creative, and collaborative Monetization Designer to help us build an incredible, player-friendly economy," said a description of the job. "This position will have the opportunity to be highly innovative and make their mark by developing a best-in-class economy system from the ground up."

What's interesting about this job description is what it could imply for The Last of Us Part II's multiplayer experience. For starters, it seems clear that microtransactions of some sort will end up being present. Given how the games industry has evolved over the years on this front, it seems quite likely that these in-game purchases will only be of the cosmetic variety, but they will likely be included all the less. 

What this monetization structure could also mean is that this The Last of Us 2 multiplayer game could end up being free-to-play. A new trend in recent years has seen major publishers releasing titles such as Halo Infinite, Apex Legends, Fortnite, and many others for no cost whatsoever, only to then rely on money from various battle passes and other monetization options to accrue money. There's no guarantee that PlayStation will end up doing that here with The Last of Us 2's multiplayer iteration, but this job post suggests that it could be possible. 

For now, we still have no idea when this upcoming multiplayer project from Naughty Dog will end up seeing the light of day, but there's a good chance that we will end up learning more over the course of 2022. When those details do come about, we'll be sure to keep you in the loop here on ComicBook.com.

[H/T Dexerto]