Hey everyone!
I’m an independent mod developer known as ImPoPzzZ, and I’ve been thinking about creating something I’ve personally wanted for a long time: an unofficial, completely free Factions-style multiplayer mod for The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PC.
I’ve already contacted Naughty Dog to ask for permission before moving forward with development. I’m currently waiting for a response.
In the meantime, I wanted to share the concept and hear what the community thinks!
THE CONCEPT — JACKSON VS WLF
Up to 8v8. One life. No respawns. Fight for supplies. Last faction standing wins.
Two factions fight for survival across one of the game’s larger maps.
Jackson: Ellie, Joel, Tommy, Dina, and other characters.
WLF: Abby and other characters from the faction.
Players choose a character from their faction’s roster before the match begins.
MATCHMAKING
Lobby-based matchmaking with peer-to-peer (P2P) connections.
Play with random players or invite up to 7 friends to your team.
Empty team slots are filled with random players.
Matches require at least 4v4 to begin, with a maximum of 8v8.
If the host disconnects, host migration allows another player to take over.
SCAVENGING, CRAFTING & SURVIVAL
Everyone starts with a pistol.
You’ll need to explore the map to find:
Weapons and ammunition
Crafting materials
Scrap for weapon upgrades
Medical supplies and other useful items
Loot is shared across the map. If someone takes an item, it’s gone for everyone else.
Players can craft items and upgrade weapons during the match.
You can also loot everything from downed enemies or teammates.
ONE LIFE — NO RESPAWNS
This is where things get intense.
Every player has only one life.
If you’re downed:
You can crawl to safety.
Your teammates have 30 seconds to revive you.
Enemies can execute you before you’re revived.
If nobody saves you, you’re permanently eliminated.
Friendly fire is enabled for both bullets and explosives, so you need to be careful around your teammates.
PROXIMITY VOICE CHAT
This is probably one of my favorite parts of the concept.
Everyone can hear everyone, including enemies, depending on distance.
Close players sound loud and clear.
Distant players become quieter.
Enemies can overhear your conversations.
Talking while hiding could reveal your position.
Imagine hiding inside a building and hearing enemy WLF players discussing how they’re going to search for you.
And if you die?
You can spectate your surviving teammates and hear their conversations, but you cannot speak anymore, not even to other dead players.
Death means complete radio silence.
INFECTED ARE STILL A THREAT
Random infected roam the map, creating an additional danger for both factions.
You might be fighting another player when a Clicker suddenly shows up.
Infected could interrupt fights, reveal hiding places, or force enemies into temporary situations where both sides are just trying to survive.
Combat music would also be localized. Only players actively involved in combat would hear it.
DISCONNECTS & RECONNECTING
If someone disconnects, an AI bot on maximum difficulty takes control of their character.
The bot keeps their current health, equipment, and remaining life.
If the original player reconnects, they take control again.
If the bot dies before they return, they can only spectate.
I’d also like to support replacing players who permanently leave while their characters are still alive, allowing new players to join matches already in progress.
NO TIME LIMIT
There’s no countdown.
No score requirement.
No respawns.
The match ends only when every member of one faction has been permanently eliminated.
You could have a match lasting 15 minutes or a tense, drawn-out survival battle.
The initial release would focus on one of the largest suitable maps available, with more maps planned later.
THE IMPORTANT PART
This would be:
100% FREE. No microtransactions, paid access, or monetization.
Steam ownership required. Every player must legally own The Last of Us Part II Remastered.
Not standalone. No copies of the original game would be distributed.
Completely unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Naughty Dog or Sony.
I’ve already emailed Naughty Dog asking whether developing and distributing something like this would be permitted.
Nothing is approved yet, and this is currently a concept, not an available mod.
If multiplayer isn’t permitted, I might explore whether a single-player version with AI teammates and enemies could be allowed instead.
SO… WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Would you play something like this?
Would you prefer a hardcore one-life survival experience, or something closer to the original Factions multiplayer?
I’d genuinely love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns before taking this any further.
— ImPoPzzZ
