The game was a popular but unfortunately missing part of the game when it first debuted in 2020, fans are eager to learn more about the project, and a recent new job posting for Naughty Dog may hint that The Last of Us 2's multiplayer mode will be free to play.
The news was originally discovered by foreign media Dexerto that Naughty Dog's new job posting or pointing to the "Last of Us 2" multiplayer game is free-to-play mode. According to the job posting, the position is "Senior Profit/Economic Designer" of Naughty Dog's "First Indie Multiplayer Game". The list doesn't explicitly mention the last of us 2 multiplayer games, but since this is the only multiplayer game project that Naughty Dog confirms is in development, we can guess that the recruitment is for this game. The idea that multiplayer is a free-to-play mode stems from the fact that the job required building a monetization system whereby players could earn items by earning or buying currency.
The "Senior Profit/Economy Designer" will be the financial foundation for the Last of Us 2 multiplayer game. Responsibilities for the work include "designing a sustainable monetization system that meets the game's expectations," "promoting a holistic monetization strategy with goals to improve retention rates, and "developing strategies and programs of opportunities to create in-game items in coordination with design and art teams," among many more tasks. The post also requires an understanding of player psychology and narrative tone to reinforce the naughty dog's balance between gameplay and narrative.
PS exclusive multiplayer has never reached the same heights as single-player, and it may be the official hope that the multiplayer games of The Last of Us 2 will be as successful as its past multiplayer games.