A highly anticipated multiplayer mod for The Last of Us Part 2 has been officially canceled following a cease-and-desist letter from Sony Interactive Entertainment. The modder, known as Speclizer, announced the discontinuation on X, formerly Twitter, stating that the project, which had been in development since January and was nearing a planned September release, would not see the light of day.
Speclizer expressed sadness over the cancellation but indicated a desire to move on to new, original projects. The mod had reportedly progressed significantly, featuring elements such as a loadout system, multiple weapons and skills, five maps, and basic leaderboards, transforming it from a simple test into a functional multiplayer experience.
The cancellation is particularly notable given Sony's previous decision to cancel its own multiplayer project, The Last of Us Online, in 2023. At the time, Naughty Dog cited the need to focus on single-player game development. The director of the canceled online game had previously described it as the team's best multiplayer effort and stated it was nearly 80% complete, adding to the disappointment of its discontinuation.
This marks another instance of Sony taking action against fan-made modifications for its titles. The company has previously issued takedown notices for other mods, including one for Bloodborne, and has also prompted modders to remove their work preemptively to avoid potential legal issues, as seen with a God of War Ragnarök mod.
Concerns were also raised on The Last of Us Part 2 subreddit regarding Speclizer's use of a Patreon page to support the mod's development. While the mod was intended to be a free release, any form of monetization, even for unsupported fan projects, can often attract unwanted attention from rights holders.