Job Posting Suggests The Last of Us Part II’s Multiplayer Will Feature Character Customization

Not much about it is publicly known, but The Last of Us Part II is confirmed to feature a multiplayer component, similar to its predecessor. Now, thanks to a Naughty Dog job posting on LinkedIn, more light has been shed about what to expect from the sequel’s multiplayer suite. Namely, characters will be customizable. Additionally, it seems multiplayer will feature an in-game store.

The job posting in question is for a Multiplayer Server Programmer. One section of the job summary informs applicants of what the position will entail. Perhaps the most interesting detail is as follows: “You will usher [players] through the entire multiplayer experience, from first login, through matchmaking, and then granting rewards players can use to customize their characters in the store.”

None of this is too shocking, given that customization options were present in The Last of Us‘ multiplayer, and Uncharted 4’s multiplayer had an in-game store. Yet, customization options for TLoU were rather limited. Players could only customize their multiplayer character’s hat, mask, and helmet. Other customizable options included those for the look of emblems, an emblem’s placement, and gestures.

Because TLoU’s online component piggybacked so much off of the single-player gameplay, in terms of survival mechanics, the limited customization options made sense. How many people will be running around the apocalypse with a neon green backpack and fancy hairstyles? Still, online gaming as a whole has experienced exceptional growth since TLoU’s 2013 release. Perhaps Naughty Dog aims to keep up with the times in this regard?

Also worth noting about the job description is mention of the programmer’s managing “deployment of new servers and monitor operations after launch.” Might this point towards TLoU Part II’s multiplayer running on dedicated servers? It’s hard to tell, particularly because dedicated servers do not support Uncharted 4’s multiplayer. Rather, it runs with peer-to-peer networking. Regardless of what direction is taken, like other Naughty Dog titles, details on TLoU Part II’s multiplayer offerings aren’t likely to surface until the game’s launch date draws near.

Though many expect it to launch sometime in 2019, The Last of Us Part II still lacks an official release date.

[Source: LinkedIn via GearNuke]