Leaked footage appears to show The Last of Us 2 Factions multiplayer

Naughty Dog confirmed ahead of release that a multiplayer component is in development for The Last of Us 2, and now footage of this offering has seemingly leaked online. 

The clip is only 11 seconds long and incredibly blurry from a visual perspective, but it seems to be otherwise genuine and features all the hallmarks we’d expect from a revamped iteration of Factions multiplayer. Check it out for yourself below: 

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While brief, we can draw a number of interesting observations from the clip. It takes place on a map drenched in snow, indicating it’s located near Jackson and locales will likely be taking inspiration from the solo campaign. You’ll be able to use cars, buildings and other structures as procedural cover. It’ll be cool if things end up being destructible, too. 

Combat once again places a focus on close-quarters melee interactions and brutal executions, although we imagine an assortment of firearms will also be available for use. It will be interesting to see if The Last of Us 2 adopts a similar loadout system to the previous game, which was rather unique for the time. 

The clip also provides a glimpse at the inventory and crafting menu, two components which played a massive role in the first installment. The player dives into a menu before being interrupted by an enemy, indicating that inventory management will take place in real-time, and you’ll need to be on your toes to avoid sudden death. 

Experience points are being earned for individual actions, hinting that a more comprehensive progression system will be at play in The Last of Us 2. Beyond that, it remains unclear where this footage originated from, or when Naughty Dog plans to make an official announcement regarding its plans for multiplayer. Here’s hoping we won’t have long to wait.