'The Last of Us Part 2' multiplayer version could be a free-to-play title

Rumors about the free-to-play multiplayer "The Last of Us" title appear to have been corroborated by a recent job listing posted by Naughty Dog.

While "The Last of Us Part 2" was well-received by fans, one of the common complaints from players is the lack of a multiplayer version. It looks like fans will finally get their way with a multiplayer version reportedly under works. What's even more exciting is that it will be free to play, according to rumors.

"The Last of Us" is one of the most critically-acclaimed games from the 2010s. The game's emotionally gripping plot about survival while fighting against infected enemies and hostile survivors thrilled fans to no end and justified the creation of a sequel.

With the original game's popularity, developer Naughty Dog released "The Last of Us Part II" in 2020. The game is a single-player, but a multiplayer project is currently being developed as a standalone new title, ScreenRant reported. "The Last of Us 2" multiplayer will reportedly support microtransactions, which led fans to believe that it might also be free to play.

Rumors about the free-to-play multiplayer "The Last of Us" title appear to have been corroborated by a recent job listing posted by Naughty Dog. The developer is looking for a Live Ops Producer with "proven experience in a production role supporting a AAA, free to play, live title" listed under the "Bonus Skills" section of the job listing.

Of course, the job listing did not specifically mention that the position is for "The Last of Us 2" multiplayer title. However, Naughty Dog has not recently announced any project aside from TLOU2's multiplayer title that would fit the requirements of the listing.

When the microtransactions rumors surfaced, players assumed that the multiplayer "The Last of Us 2" would also be free-to-play. While there are paid games that also support microtransactions, the majority of titles that include in-game purchases are free-to-play.

In fact, popular franchises are increasingly adopting this model, with "Overwatch 2" among the recent ones. The free-to-play model will usually attract a larger player base because there is no initial barrier payment.