Summer Game Fest brings together the global gaming community, highlighting what developers from around the world have been working on and what gamers can look forward to. Plenty of games, both big and small, were showcased during 2022's Summer Game Fest live stream on 9 June, including Saints Row, Marvel's Midnight Suns, and Fort Solis, which will feature performances from Troy Baker and Roger Clarke. After a long period of silence from the series, gamers also got an update on The Last of Us.
As Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann revealed, the studio is hard at work completing the standalone multiplayer The Last of Us game that has ballooned in scope, although gamers can only expect to find out more about it next year. Additionally, the television adaptation of the first game has just about completed filming, which puts it right on track to hit screens in 2023. Perhaps the most exciting revelation was The Last of Us Part 1 trailer, which announced that a remake of the franchise's first game would be landing on PlayStation and PC soon. Naughty Dog is clever to take advantage of PC, as the series has grown far too large to contain it to consoles alone.
The Last of Us Is Bigger Than Ever
During Druckmann's presentation at Summer Game Fest, he revealed just how popular The Last of Us is. Despite having first been released nine years ago, he claimed that the studio still regularly receives cards and letters from fans who are greatly appreciative of the characters and the emotional journeys The Last of Us series has brought them. He also revealed that The Last of Us 2, released in 2020, has now sold over 10 million units. All the support from fans has helped Naughty Dog to grow and, according to Druckmann, it also allows the studio to work on multiple projects.
Due to the success of the series, The Last of Us has expanded beyond gaming, and fans can enjoy The Last of Us comic books as well as an upcoming series from HBO. Although video game adaptations have a bad reputation, the scale of The Last of Us' show suggests that it may change many opinions. The cast features many big names, including Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey, who stars as Ellie, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent's Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel, and there is a reported production price tag that is large enough to make the series one of the largest productions in Canadian history. The series strives for authenticity, which is why Druckmann serves as one of the writers and directs one of the episodes. During Summer Game Fest, Druckmann argued that the series would be one of the most authentic video game adaptations yet.
Although The Last of Us is already hugely popular thanks to the games, the series is only going to get more popular when the television series is finally released. It would be foolish for Naughty Dog to limit the reach of The Last of Us Part 1 in any way by delaying its release on PC for too long, especially when history has shown that television adaptations tend to boost video game sales. This was seen when The Witcher received a Netflix adaptation, resulting in a rise in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sales. When The Last of Us television series launches, there will be plenty of people ready to jump into The Last of Us' zombie-ridden world for the first time, and a PC release will ensure as many fans as possible get to enjoy the gaming experience.
The PS5 Install Base Simply Is Not Large Enough Yet
The PlayStation 5 is easily Sony's most successful console launch to date. When it hit stores in 2021, it sold faster than the PS4 which moved 2.1 million units in its first two weeks. As of May 31, the PS5 has sold 20 million units worldwide, and it is projected to surpass the PS4's lifetime sales. Despite these amazing figures, the console is not performing optimally commercially due to factors outside of Sony's control. The biggest issue facing Sony is the ongoing semiconductor shortage affecting the world's tech industry. The PS5, like the Xbox Series X/S, struggled to meet the high demand at launch, leading to plenty of scalping. Unfortunately, supply issues are far from over, which has caused Sony to continue producing PS4 consoles to help alleviate the PS5 shortage.
Although it is impressive that Sony has managed to pump out 20 million units, that may not be a large enough install base for a series as colossal as The Last of Us. Other PlayStation flagship franchises, including God of War Ragnarok and Horizon Forbidden West, have solved this problem by dishing out cross-generational releases, taking advantage of both the PS5 and the PS4's install base. However, The Last of Us Part 1 already has a PS4 remaster, which would make releasing the upcoming remake on it pointless, leaving PC as the only other direction the series can expand in.
The trailer for The Last of Us Part 1 demonstrates what a significant visual improvement the game will be over its predecessor. As Druckmann revealed, the developers have gone back and remade the game from the ground up to ensure that it aligns closer to Naughty Dog's original vision for the game. However, the game remains faithful to the original title, and longtime fans will feel right at home. Although a release date for the PC version has yet to be revealed, a well-timed launch that ties in with the series will help Naughty Dog to maximize the franchise's reach and ensure that as many people as possible get to experience Joel and Ellie's unforgettable story.
The Last of Us Part 1 is scheduled to release on 2 September 2022 on PS5. A PC port is also in development.
