Naughty Dog Laying Off Devs, Last of Us Multiplayer Spin-Off Stopped

According to reports, Naughty Dog, developer of the Uncharted and The Last of Us series, has laid off dozens and developer and the stand-alone The Last of Us multiplayer game is on hold.

There’s been no official statement from Naughty Dog, rather this information comes by way of current and former company insiders. Kotaku broke the news, reporting that the developer has  “begun cutting contracts short for dozens of workers.”

Is it usual that Naughty Dog use contractors? Not at all, it’s a fairly common industry practice, since games often have fixed development cycles. And it means that if you are a contractor, you’ve got to have one eye on where you’re going next. But at least you’ve got some short term job security, right?

Related: The Last of Us Showrunner Says HBO Adaptation Could Be 4 Seasons Long, Teases Abby Casting

Unfortunately, not in this case. It appears as if even that short-term security has gone out of the window. Kotaku reports that while full-time staff have not been affected, at least 25 contract devs have been laid off, in departments ranging from art to QA. Naughty Dog’s contractors are set to be around till the end of October. According to Kotaku’s sources, those who’ve lost their jobs are being asked to keep it quiet. Their terminations seem specifically tied to the The Last of Us multiplayer spin-off game, based on the original’s Factions mode. It’s had a troubled development and is reportedly on hold, seemingly indefinitely.

There’s been a slew of layoffs of late in gaming and adjacent industries, with Epic laying off over 800 workers. Embracer Group may also be closing more more studios and Sega recently cancelled Hyenas, leading to more job losses. It’s been suggested that a lot of these layoffs are due to companies overstretching themselves, particularly during the pandemic gaming boom. It’s funny how the people who made those decisions never seem to the ones losing out.