The Growing Future of The Last of Us

Whether you’re here following our Summer Games Fest announcements or just catching up on the latest news from the studio, we’re excited to share what’s in store for the future of The Last of Us. Many of you have expressed how strongly The Last of Us series resonates with you, and we’re humbled by the community’s outpouring of passion and excitement towards the series’ growing and evolving world and characters.

We’re happy to share that The Last of Us Part II has sold through more than 10 million copies globally, as of this Spring. Knowing the support we have, our studio continues to see exciting, new avenues to introduce curious audiences and galvanize fans. With those opportunities in mind, let’s talk about the immense future of The Last of Us.

Standalone Multiplayer

It’s no secret that many of you are not only drawn to The Last of Us’ stories but also the game’s original Factions multiplayer. Since The Last of Us Factions’ release almost a decade ago, dedicated players have been vocal about an expansion upon that offering. 

However, we can finally announce that we’re creating something much larger than a mode. We’re thrilled to share a piece of concept art from our upcoming multiplayer experience, which is an extremely ambitious undertaking. We’re growing our studio significantly to ensure we build this full-scale, standalone game, with its massive scope and immense world, in a way that fans have come to expect from The Last of Us and Naughty Dog.

We aim to make our newest entry into multiplayer inviting to new players while still a thrilling challenge for more of our seasoned fans. There will be more news to come next year, and we cannot wait to introduce you to the team behind this new experience!

The Last of Us on HBO

From the onset, our original vision for The Last of Us’ story was cinematic and character driven, and HBO enthusiastically continued the spirit of that same vision to bring this story to TV screens worldwide. Helmed by Craig Mazin, Creator and Writer of Chernobyl, in tandem with Executive Producer Carolyn Strauss and Neil Druckmann, the incredible cast and crew strove to ensure a faithful retelling of the story and its intricately detailed world.

In the spirit of collaboration and authenticity, Neil has taken on the roles of Executive Producer and Writer and also directed a full episode. Bringing The Last of Us to life has been a deeply creative collaboration between our studio and HBO.

The worlds of video games and television continue to overlap as Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker, Ellie and Joel’s in-game actors respectively, join the cast in major roles. We cannot wait to see them on-screen along with new and longtime fans of The Last of Us.

The Last of Us Part I

The Last of Us released almost a decade ago on the PlayStation 3 console, and it’s left an indelible mark on our studio. Joel and Ellie’s story continues to be powerfully evocative with players worldwide, and we’re humbled these characters continue to leave an impression. 

With leaps in technology and hardware that allow us to push the limits of the visual fidelity and interactivity, we’re thrilled to announce this complete remake of The Last of Us, releasing September 2, 2022 for the PlayStation 5 console and in development for PC. 

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We’ve implemented modernized gameplay, improved controls, and expanded accessibility options in this single-player experience to allow even more individuals to enjoy the game. Effects, exploration, and combat have all been enhanced. Leveraging the PS5’s powerful hardware, we also implemented 3D Audio*, haptics, and adaptive triggers. Both returning fans and new players alike will have the opportunity to experience both The Last of Us Part I and its prequel story Left Behind in a whole new way. 

For this rebuild, Neil has passed the directorial baton to Game Director Matthew Gallant and Creative Director Shaun Escayg to bring this project to life. Matthew joined our studio a decade ago to work on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. He rose to Lead Systems Designer on The Last of Us Part II and co-headed the charge for over 60 accessibility features. Shaun started as Lead Cinematic Animator on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. Shaun would later go on to become the Creative Director of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. With their deep creative and technical expertise with the series, they’re the perfect fit to helm this project, and you’ll be hearing even more about The Last of Us Part I from them soon.

Along with the trailer, we’re also pleased to announce that you may pre-order The Last of Us Part I for PS5 today at 4PM PT**. We partnered with PlayStation to develop multiple editions of the game: 

The Last of Us Part I Standard Edition ($69.99 USD MSRP/ $89.99 CAD MSRP/ €79.99 EUR MSRP/ ¥7,900 JPY MSRP).

The Last of Us Part I The Digital Deluxe ($79.99 USD MSRP/ $99.99 CAD MSRP/ €89.99 EUR MSRP/ ¥8,900 JPY MSRP) includes an early unlock of the following in-game items:

• Increased Crafting Speed Skill 
• Increased Healing Speed Skill 
• 9mm Reload Speed Increase Upgrade  
• Rifle Clip Capacity Increase Upgrade  
• Explosive Arrows Gameplay Modifier 
• Dither Punk Filter 
• Speedrun Mode 
• Six Weapon Skins: Black Gold 9mm Pistol, Silver Filigree 9mm Pistol, Rubber Tactical Shotgun, Sculpted Oak Shotgun, Arctic White Bow, Carbon Black Bow

If you pre-order** any edition of The Last of Us Part I for PS5, you’ll receive the following in-game items***:

• Bonus Supplements to upgrade your skillset
• Bonus Weapon Parts to upgrade your arsenal

We are looking forward to sharing even more over the coming months leading up to the release of The Last of Us Part I. Your love and passion for our games are truly inspiring, and we’re immensely proud to share this experience with you.

Endure and survive!

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*3D Audio via built-in TV speakers or analog/USB stereo headphones. Set up required.

**Depending on your region, it may take some time for physical editions to appear. Please check with your chosen local retailer for listings and availability.

***Pre-order bonuses are not available in some regions. Please check with your chosen local retailer for availability.