Does The Last of Us PS5 include multiplayer?

Almost a decade on from its first release, a PS5 remake of The Last of Us is upon us. Owners of Sony's latest console can experience Joel and Ellie's first adventure all over again - but is there multiplayer in The Last of Us PS5? That's the question we're here to answer!

In this The Last of Us Part I guide, we'll break down whether the beloved PvP multiplayer returns in the PS5 remake. The Factions mode was a staple in the 2013 original and its remaster a year later, but does it return this time around?

Elsewhere, feel free to read up on all things Call of Duty. We've got a look at the Modern Warfare 2 release date, alongside some of the maps you can expect to encounter. On top of that, we've got a look at the best Warzone guns to keep you busy in the battle royale spin-off.

Is there multiplayer in The Last of Us PS5?

Unfortunately, there is no multiplayer in The Last of Us on PS5. Instead, the only two game modes available are the standard story and the DLC chapter Left Behind, which primarily takes place prior to the events of the base game.

Therefore, there is no way to play the Factions mode in The Last of Us Part I. The mode simply doesn't appear in this new remaster, and isn't unlocked when you complete the story for the first time. Instead, this remaster focuses purely on the story mode and DLC, placing emphasis on the narrative rather than the online mode.

Equally, it doesn't seem like we'll get a PS5 remaster of The Last of Us multiplayer any time soon. There was no mention of it upon the game's announcement at Summer Game Fest 2022. That's no surprise though, because Naughty Dog has separate plans for new multiplayer experiences within the world of The Last of Us.

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Will there be a multiplayer The Last of Us game on PS5?

While The Last of Us Part I definitely doesn't contain the Factions multiplayer segment, Naughty Dog is working on a separate standalone multiplayer title.

As reaffirmed in a PlayStation Blog post earlier this summer, "a full-scale, standalone game" based on Factions is currently in development. Details are incredibly slim so far, but it'll be its own game entirely, likely far more ambitious than just remastering the multiplayer in The Last of Us Part I.

Naughty Dog promises more details on the Factions standalone game in 2023. Until then, there isn't a dedicated multiplayer version of The Last of Us on PS5. Of course, players can still access the multiplayer in the PS4 remaster of the original game. However, that's not a proper PS5 title, so it may not cut it for dedicated fans.

As such, The Last of Us Part I doesn't have a proper multiplayer component on PS5. One is on the way later down the line, but it doesn't come bundled with this game in the same way the original did. Playing the remaster via backwards compatibility may do the trick for now, but fans are no doubt already excited for the next-gen Factions game.

That's it for our look at multiplayer in The Last of Us Part I! While you're here, feel free to also read up on whether the remake is coming to PS4.