One of the most anticipated games of the year —if not the most anticipated— The Last of Us 2 had a lot to live up to. Fans were excited to continue Ellie and Joel's story, and not even leaked spoilers could temper the hype. Now it looks like the game is set to smash sales records for a PS4 exclusive.
The lead up to the release of a AAA title is one of hand-wringing and giddy anticipation. For Naughty Dog, its employees put their hearts and souls into the game, and good sales would validate all that effort. Naughty Dog has been known for their crunch culture, and the company even makes it a tongue-in-cheek reference in The Last of Us 2. High sales makes all that sacrifice seem worth it. On the other side, fans wait with bated breath for the game to come out, expectations set sky high after the first game. Will the game be as moving an experience as the first was for fans?
With The Last of Us 2 it appears that all the time spent making a beautiful, fully-realized world has paid off, as the early sales numbers show the game to be the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive. Just what those numbers are hasn't been shared exactly, but they are quoted as being "1% higher than that of Uncharted 4," the previous fastest-selling PS4 exclusive. This number does not include digital sales, so with those factored in, The Last of Us 2 looks set to smash Uncharted 4's record. This news follows sales information from across the pond, where the game was already declared the fastest-selling game PS4 game in the UK.
Any game of this magnitude is bound to have some detractors, and it seems that The Last of Us 2 has fallen victim to review bombing. While some of the complaints may be valid, many of the negative reviews do not offer insightful critique. It is perfectly reasonable to not be enamored with the game, especially given all the marketing and hype, but these user review scores haven't deterred fans from picking up the game and enjoying it.
The game has courted controversy with its depictions of graphic violence, but some The Last of Us fans see it as a real selling point.
The Last of Us 2 took years to make, was delayed a few times this year, and had to contend with the coronavirus pandemic, but record sales show that fans were more than ready to re-enter Ellie and Joel's world.
The Last of Us 2 is available now for PS4.
Source: VG24/7
