What will be the next Last of Us game?

The next major installment in the hugely popular Last of Us series won't be a Part III, but rather a massive multiplayer spin-off, developer Naughty Dog announced today. While the studio has been working on the third game for some time now, it decided to pivot because of its newfound interest in exploring new gaming experiences.

"We've realized that there's too much we want to do with the IP," explained Creative Director Neil Druckmann. "We're going to be changing gears and making a big shift. It was very hard to come to terms with at first, but when you get over that initial shock and disappointment, you realize that this is actually an incredible opportunity."

The game will be called The Last of Us: Part II, and will not follow protagonist Joel or Ellie from the first game. Instead it will feature a new cast of characters in a new setting. The game takes place 20 years after the original Last of Us, and will focus on multiplayer action with both cooperative PvE options as well as competitive PvP modes.

The first details about Part II are going to drop this summer at E3 2018, where Naughty Dog is expected to reveal more about the story and setting for its next title.

The Last of Us multiplayer will expand upon the original universe

 The original Last of Us was as much a triumph of storytelling as it was a blockbuster hit in 2013. It followed the story of Joel and Ellie—a grizzled, middle-aged man and an adolescent girl—as they survived the aftermath of a viral outbreak that had ravaged the world. The game took place over a span of 20 years, and it told its tale through both scripted sequences and optional conversations between the two characters.

Naughty Dog's follow-up to their critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic survival tale will be a multiplayer game, according to Neil Druckmann, creative director at the studio responsible for both games. Speaking on YouTube personality John "Totalbiscuit" Bain's podcast, Druckmann said that while there are no plans to make a direct sequel, fans can expect more from the universe they've come to love."There are no plans right now for a Last of Us Part III," he said. "The only thing that we can say about the future is that there will be a future for The Last of Us universe... We have so many other ideas and stories we want to tell."

There's a lot to love about The Last of Us—Naughty Dog's 2013 post-apocalyptic adventure game that manages to blend thrilling combat with a touching and complex story. With one exception: the multiplayer mode. While it was certainly fun, it felt tacked on, especially compared to the rest of the game. But now we know that wasn't just an unfortunate side effect of working with a deadline: The Last of Us multiplayer is getting a full spin-off, following in the footsteps of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End as Naughty Dog's second fully-fledged online game.

What is The Last of Us Part I about?

The new game has been revealed by Naughty Dog, the studio that developed The Last of Us, and it's not a sequel to the 2013 hit. Instead, the new game will be a multiplayer-focused spin-off that has zombies in it. This comes as a bit of a surprise for fans as the developers previously said that The Last of Us was a one-off. However, it's worth noting that their statement also said they weren't ruling out returning to the universe at some point.

Since its release in 2013, Naughty Dog has been hard at work on Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, which comes out later this month and follows Nathan Drake as he attempts to go on one last adventure before settling down with his love interest Elena. It was also announced earlier this year that Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley, who directed The Last of Us and Uncharted 4 respectively are taking over creative direction on the series from Amy Hennig, who left the company to start her own studio.