Given the reception of Naughty Dog's recent addition to their most popular franchise with The Last Of UsPart 2, fans of the studio are anticipating an announcement regarding a potential new title. Due to a large majority's dislike of the events of the game, particularly character deaths, many fans stand against a new title that would cover the events after the death of Joel which would potentially only leave prequels in line for release.
Considering plans for the new long-awaited standalone multiplayer experience off the back of Factions, chances of a new single-player are slim, but chances of this will remain in the aftermath of the new project.
6 Joel's Backstory After Sarah's Death
With The Last Of Us Part 1's taking place 20 years after Joel's daughter's death, there are many years players were unable to witness. Ranging from different characters, locations, enemies, and much more, there is potentially a wide variety of content to cover during the 20-year time skip.
While this won't have any relation to the main overarching story of The Last Of Us franchise which includes Ellie, it will allow the backstory of both main characters to come full circle considering The Last Of Us: Left Behind DLC covering Ellie's journey before crossing paths with Joel.
5 Joel And Ellie Before Part 2
Despite all the controversy within The Last Of Us Part 2, one of the areas that were praised and most popular among the fan base was the flashbacks which contained the presence of Joel. A large majority of these flashbacks were reminiscent of scenes between Joel and Ellie in The Last Of Us Part 1, and this gave fans a reason to keep playing.
With Part 2 being set five years after its predecessor, there are certainly more adventures, dialogue, combat encounters, and important story plots to present and explore in a prequel that takes players through that five-year time skip.
4 Abby Backstory
Whilst this may stir up controversy and mixed opinions of the franchise even further, a greater understanding and insight into the relationship between Abby and her father Jerry. In the lead-up to the reveal as to why Abby killed Joel, players are able to get a brief glimpse into how close the pair were. Many argued in favor of Abby's choices considering the same dynamic of her losing her father, which ultimately led to the same happening to Ellie.
In the likelihood of a prequel covering this whether as a standalone game or DLC, there will almost certainly be fans of the franchise who will dislike the choice, but doing this may potentially allow players to sympathize with Abby and add further context to the story.
3 Joel And Tess During First Time Skip
As The Last Of Us Part 1 gets underway, players are introduced to Tess meeting up with Joel. It is suggested that Joel and Tess had known one another for a long period of time, but it is unclear whether this was shortly after outbreak day or further down the line.
The first mission players have to complete is finding Robert in an attempt to reclaim firearms. This is more than likely only a small portion of the journeys both Joel and Tess have experienced, and a prequel that would delve deeper into their time before her death would certainly be appreciated by fans.
2 Ellie Before Meeting Riley
Besides the minor details regarding Ellie's mother, Anna, and Marlene's close relationship, there are still a few details about Ellie's past that fans know of. Many hoped that The Last Of Us Part 2 would cover plot points surrounding her mother and why she is immune to the virus, with some even theorizing that Abby was her mother early in the game's promotion.
As none of these points were pivotal or even present in the story, there were a lot of feelings of disappointment among players, especially after the story focused on themes of revenge rather than a follow-up to more important matters. To satisfy all fans, a prequel that focuses on Ellie's past and insight into her experiences during the outbreak and its aftermath would be beneficial as it would also open the door to another sequel.
1 Tommy Firefly Days
A departure from Joel, Ellie, and Abby would be best suited for a chance for players to experience Tommy's journey. After Sarah's death, he and his brother Joel fell out which resulted in Tommy joining the Fireflies alongside Marlene. When the pair reunite during Part 1, players will know that Tommy is no longer a Firefly.
Despite this not having any direct contribution to the main story, this would be an opportunity for Naughty Dog to allow players to invest themselves into new and unseen characters whilst also having a fresh feeling playing as Tommy. This could include a new story arc in conjunction with references to Joel and could provide further backstory to the Fireflies' origins. Aside from the ending of Part 1, which takes place in the hospital, Marlene, collectibles, and the flashbacks of Jerry and Abby in Part 2, there is not much else in terms of information surrounding the Fireflies, so this would suffice.