Highlights

  • The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered includes a Killzone shirt as an Easter egg, sparking speculation about a possible revival of the franchise.
  • A Killzone revival could be a successful live-service game for Sony, filling a gap in its current lineup.
  • While obstacles exist, a Killzone live-service game could potentially satisfy fans and contribute to Sony's live-service offerings.

On the whole, The Last of Us franchise has a pretty clear penchant for Easter eggs and references. These include references to Naughty Dog's own back catalog, a section of The Last of Us Part 1 remaking the entire Dunder Mifflin office, and hidden collectibles strewn across the environment that point to fellow PlayStation greats. The Last of Us Part 1 is filled with Easter eggs, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered continues that trend proudly.

While The Last of Us Part 2 already had plenty of excellent Easter eggs from the get-go, including iconic references to Hotline Miami, Jak and Daxter, and plenty of fun callbacks to the first game, The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered goes above and beyond, adding in even more via the form of in-game cosmetics. Unlocked by completing challenges in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return mode, players gain access to a slew of new shirts for both Ellie and Abby, most of which reference some iconic fellow video games. But while most of these references feel completely innocent, there's one that's gotten a particular fanbase talking.

Last of Us No Return Snow Balcony
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The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's Killzone Shirt Could Be Teasing a Franchise Revival

Available when choosing a character in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered's No Return mode, or in the options during the game's story mode, players can equip Ellie with a whole slew of different shirts, with references to Hotline Miami, Mortal Kombat, Destiny, and Death Stranding all being present. Along with those, players can unlock a shirt inspired by the Killzone franchise, depicting the Helghast Triad logo, and this seemingly small reference has caused quite a stir.

Debuting back in 2004, Killzone may have never been officially called a "Halo Killer," but it might as well have been for all intents and purposes. A Sci-Fi shooter franchise developed by Guerrilla Games, Killzone may not have taken over the world quite like Sony would have wanted, but it did earn its fair share of critical praise over the years, and it built up a pretty loyal fanbase. Unfortunately, the Killzone franchise was fairly short-lived, lasting just four mainline entries and two spinoffs over the course of nine years, with the last Killzone game, Killzone: Shadow Fall, dropping back in 2013 alongside the PS4's launch.

The Killzone franchise has been completely dormant since 2013, and with Guerrilla Games now hard at work on the Horizon franchise, it seems unlikely that the studio will be returning to the Sci-Fi shooter series anytime soon. But that doesn't mean that the demand isn't there. Though this Last of Us Part 2 Remastered reference to Killzone is probably nothing more than just a fun little Easter egg, it's once again sparked the Killzone fanbase into action, and in 2024, there could easily be a place for Killzone on Sony's slate.

A Killzone Revival Could Work Wonders for Sony Right Now

A few years ago, Sony announced that it would be entering a new age of live-service development and that many of its first-party studios would be shifting their attention to the live-service genre. It's no secret that it hasn't really worked out for Sony like it wanted it to, with The Last of Us multiplayer now officially canceled, and Sony drastically paring back the number of live-service games it currently has in development. But that doesn't mean that a live-service Sony first-party game couldn't work, and Killzone could be a great candidate.

Though a lack of a single-player mode would upset a lot of fans if it wasn't present, a Killzone live-service game could have a lot of potential, killing two birds with one stone by giving fans the revival they've been desperate for, while also adding another feather to Sony's live-service cap. Of course, that's much easier said than done, and there are a lot of obstacles in the way of getting a truly great Killzone live-service revival, but it wouldn't be impossible.