Naughty Dog Prioritized Last Of Us Online Over Intergalactic Before Cancellation
Naughty Dog’s development priorities have been revealed in a report by journalist Jason Schreier, who examined Sony’s troubled foray into the live-service gaming market. The studio prioritized The Last of Us Online over other projects for several years before cancelling the multiplayer title in 2023, dedicating substantial resources to the initiative that went far beyond treating it as a minor side project.
This significant resource allocation explains Naughty Dog’s reduced output during the current console generation, with the studio remaining relatively quiet on new releases. Following the cancellation of The Last of Us Online, the studio has shifted its focus to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which is now its primary development priority.
The revelation comes as part of a broader examination of Sony’s live-service strategy, which has suffered multiple high-profile failures in recent years. The report highlights other examples of struggling or cancelled live-service titles, including the rapid shutdown of Concord and Bungie’s ongoing difficulties with Destiny 2 before that game’s eventual cancellation.