Naughty Dog canceled The Last of Us multiplayer two years ago, but its spirit might still be living: the company’s former game director Vinit Agarwal together with its ex-narrative lead and creative director Joe Pettinati opened a new studio, where they are already working on their own multiplayer title with a “triple-indie” feel.
Agarwal has contributed to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Uncharted 4: The Lost Legacy, and The Last of Us Part II. He decided to create his game because he “saw the potential in combining the cinematic action that Naughty Dog specializes in with multiplayer,” as he told Game*Spark.
This new game has been in development for several months and has some playable prototypes, but Agarwal is not ready to share anything yet. For him, it is important not just to create interesting gameplay but also to ensure that “the story, action, worldview, and gameplay are all on the same level.”
Agarwal and Pettinati want to bring the cinematic action familiar from their previous works to multiplayer. They are already in contact with partners, so the project might get more support and exposure soon. The game doesn’t have the budget of a AAA game, “but it has the fast-paced feel of an indie game, while still being influenced by AAA story and gameplay.”
The studio opened by the duo has about 10 people and plans to grow to 30 workers maximum to maintain speed and flexibility and bring out everyone’s individuality in the final experience “so that each person can feel a strong sense of ownership over the game they created.”
Stay tuned to see what Agarwal and Pettinati come up with and join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
