Highlights

  • The Last of Us Part 2 challenges players by exploring the cycle of violence and vengeance, while asking them to engage in killing sprees.
  • The remaster of The Last of Us Part 2 may be concerning for Naughty Dog fans, as it raises questions about the timing and future releases.
  • With the release of The Last of Us Part 2 remaster, it's unlikely that future Naughty Dog games will be released before the end of 2024 at best.

The Last of Us has been a significantly influential franchise since it first came out, with both the original 2013 game and 2020's The Last of Us Part 2 sequel winning multiple awards and becoming the landmark for what story-driven, survival horror games can be. The Last of Us Part 2 is a particularly interesting game because it challenges players mentally by showing them what it means to perpetuate a cycle of violence and vengeance, what its impact on everyone involved is, and how to break away from it - all while actively asking players to go on a killing spree on monsters and humans alike. Part of what made The Last of Us 2 a great game is its graphics and modern-feeling gameplay, and the fact that it's getting a remaster 3 years later might be bad news for other Naughty Dog titles.

Although a The Last of Us Part 2 port on PS5 is a good thing, it hardly needed a full-fledged remaster for this specific reason, even with the promise of added game modes and enhanced graphics. These are all good things to have, especially since it only comes at a $10 price for those who own the original title (while still charging new players $70 for the game otherwise). However, it begs the question of why now, and the answer might not be great for Naughty Dog fans.

Ellie and Dina in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
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The Last of Us 2 Remastered and Release Date Officially Revealed

Following a leak more or less confirming the existence of The Last of Us 2 Remastered, a release date for the PS5 exclusive is unveiled.

What The Last of Us 2 Remaster Could Mean For Future Naughty Dog Games

The Last of Us' success has always been a good reason to make ports and improvements to it, with the first game getting a DLC eight months after launch and then a remastered port in one year since its first release. As such, it doesn't surprise a whole lot to see a The Last of Us 2 remaster so soon after the game came out, but its timing can be concerning.

The Last of Us Multiplayer's Delay Could be a Reason WHy TLoU 2 is Getting a Remaster

Naughty Dog's highly-anticipated The Last of Us Multiplayer has been delayed recently, and no news about it came out for a long time, to the point that some fans were wondering if the game was dead in the water or actively being worked on. Recent comments on social media do indicate that this live-service title is still in the works, but not much else. Considering Sony's acquisition of Bungie and the fact that the latter has been helping the former with evaluating future PlayStation live-service titles, which led to The Last of Us Multiplayer's delay, Naughty Dog may not have much else to show at the moment.

Naughty Dog Games That Came Out After The Last of Us Part 2

Ever since The Last of Us Part 2 came out, Naughty Dog's only other releases have been tied to the franchise - but no new games or IPs were released or showcased. These are the games from Naughty Dog that came out after TLoU 2 (released June 19, 2020):

  • Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (January 2022)
  • The Last of Us Part I (September 2022)

The first is a collection of existing games, and the second is a remake of the original 2013 The Last of Us. This, combined with the 2014 remaster and the new The Last of Us Part 2 remaster, makes for more versions of the games than current entries in the series.

Why Future Naughty Dog Games Might be a Long Ways Off

What follows is that with The Last of Us Part 2 remaster releasing in 2024, it's likely that future Naughty Dog games won't be coming out before the end of 2024 at best, and sometime in 2025 at worst. As such, the timing of this remaster may be more tied to filling the space that other potential releases might have taken, especially since it's unclear when a The Last of Us 3 might come. Based on speculation from before the delay of The Last of Us Multiplayer, the title could have been released at some point in 2024, but this doesn't seem plausible right now - and with no other announced titles in the making, it may be a long while before Naughty Dog fans see anything new from the studio.