Ever since its initial release in 2013, PlayStation fans have been itching for the continuation of Naughty Dog's exclusive PlayStation game "The Last Of Us." The action-adventure survival horror had no trouble in racking up quite the fanbase with its thrilling plot line and well-developed characters. It was no surprise when gamers far and wide began to demand a continuation of the franchise, and it's a pleasure to be able to confirm that the game will be returning in the near future.
The sequel was first rumored in 2014
In 2014, the co-director of the game Neil Druckmann announced that there were indeed plans for a sequel and the studio were currently in the brainstorming stage on how to expand the franchise further, according to a report by Eurogamer.com. However, these rumors were only speculated until a sequel was also hinted at by actor Nolan North. At the Metrocon convention, North stated that he "knew they were planning" on doing "The Last Of Us 2," though he went on to say that he didn't know if he would be involved in the game's production.
However, the voice actor of one of the game's main characters, "Joel," feigned ignorance of the continuation of the series at the same point in time, leaving fans confused over who's statement they should believe.
Though it was officially announced in 2016
After many fan theories and a lot of speculation, the sequel of the game was formally announced at PlayStation Experience 2016. In typical gaming fashion, the game was confirmed through the showcasing of a teaser trailer, which consolidated the return of the beloved characters of the first game. Furthermore, Neil Druckmann went on to provide details regarding the game in a Q&A panel hosted at the event. He explained that the sequel would more so be a "story about hate," and would be set five years after where the previous game left off.
2017 provided a second trailer for the game
While the first teaser left fans reeling, it wasn't all that long until Naughty Dog released an official second trailer.
In October 2017, a more extended and much more brutal look at the game was released during Paris Games Week. With the intensity of female characters being hung, and others getting dragged through forests, along with groups of survivors facing off against hoards of infected, there's no wonder as to why the trailer fueled so many more fan theories.
Later at PlayStation Experience 2017, Neil Druckmann said that the game would focus around Seattle, and may involve a potential pregnancy in the plot itself. He went on to confirm that, even though the game was only halfway through production, official looks at the gameplay would be released in 2018.
More coming in June of this year?
It appears we're going to have to hold tight for a few more months until more details regarding the game are known.
While we're still waiting on a confirmed release date and an update on the progress of production, we do know that Neil Druckmann was promoted to the role of vice president at Naughty Dog. Druckmann confirmed that he is indeed still working as a creative director on what's currently named "The Last Of Us: Part II."
E3 2018, which promises official gameplay of the upcoming PS4 exclusive, is set to be held the weekend of June 12th.