Modder Speclizer is developing a multiplayer mod for the PC version of the game, The Last of Us Part 2. It plans to release the title in September 2026. The development comes years after Naughty Dog scrapped its standalone The Last of Us multiplayer project, leaving a major gap for players who hoped to see the return of the franchise’s competitive gameplay.
When The Last of Us Part 2 launched in 2020, it earned widespread praise for its storytelling, performances, and gameplay. The title went on to win Game of the Year at The Game Awards. However, a complaint surfaced repeatedly among longtime fans.
The game arrived without a multiplayer mode. The original The Last of Us featured Factions, a competitive multiplayer experience that built a dedicated community. Many expected a similar mode in the sequel.
Naughty Dog later confirmed that multiplayer was being developed as a separate project, which was eventually canceled. As a result, the franchise has gone more than a decade without a new competitive multiplayer release.
Expectations for an official multiplayer update have faded as Naughty Dog focused on its next major title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. That has opened the door for the modding community.
Modder Speclizer recently showcased around 25 minutes of gameplay from a fan-made multiplayer mod for The Last of Us Part 2. The footage shows characters from the game battling each other in multiplayer matches, offering a glimpse of the experience many players expected years ago. Speclizer stated that the mod is scheduled for release in September.
The project comes with one major limitation. It will only be available on PC. This decision is not surprising. Modding tools and community support make PC the natural platform for projects of this scale. Console players, however, will have no access to the mod.
The situation highlights one of the biggest differences between PC and console gaming. Modders can create entirely new experiences, extend a game's lifespan, and add features that developers never released. For PlayStation fans who spent years waiting for a new version of Factions, that may be a frustrating reality.
The popularity of this project shows there is still a strong demand for multiplayer content in The Last of Us universe. Interest has not disappeared even six years after the sequel’s launch.
Whether Naughty Dog revisits that demand in a future installment is still unclear. For now, fans looking for multiplayer action will have to rely on the modding community.
Speclizer’s project may not be an official release, though it is shaping up to be the closest thing players have seen to a new Last of Us multiplayer experience in years.
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