Though relatively left under the radar due to the hype for PAX West, Naughty Dog and Sony showcased all-new footage for their upcoming The Last of Us Part II at GameStop's Expo in Austin this week. It even led to an appearance of voice actor Troy Baker, who said recently that Joel is more villain than hero. It may not seem like it, but the fandom is very hyped for the release, which might be in October but is more likely set for next year.
The new gameplay reveal is still hidden behind closed doors, unfortunately, due to the fact that the event was mostly held for GameStop employees and managers. The only other footage available for The Last of Us Part II is from E3 2018, which showed an older Ellie, beautifully enhanced graphics, and an all-new breathtaking story to showcase. Troy Baker has even teased that the game will be far larger than thought possible.
We just want new footage...
Or, a release date. Still unknown is what this new story may hold for us, as Joel's act at the end of the first game may shatter his and Ellie's relationship completely in the sequel. It's clear both Sony and Naughty Dog know exactly what they're doing by keeping us in the dark for the time being. With PAX West underway, The Last of Us is bound to get swept under the upcoming hype train, as it so clearly already has.
All we know so far is that the game will feature far darker missions and will entail a narrative that is much more violent in its nature, as recent trailers have shown. The post-apocalyptic world hasn't changed much, but Ellie has still survived. No multiplayer is planned for the game, which is good because the team will focus on bringing the most powerhouse narrative possible.
Most rumors point to either October of this year or for February of 2020, but it's relatively unclear. Debuting this November, both Jedi: Fallen Order and Death Stranding may make it difficult for PlayStation and Naughty Dog to go up against such anticipated titles. And, with Borderlands 3 only weeks away from launch, it wouldn't be wise on Sony's part to go up against 3 games, when early 2020 would be ripe for the taking.
With fan-centered "Outbreak Day" less than a month away on September 26th, the day the in-game virus reached critical mass, there's bound to be more information on the horizon. There's also the PlayStation State of Play event on November 1st, as well, so anything is possible. But one thing is for sure, fans are seriously buying into the wait. The previous game gave them a view into a world far scarier than Cormac McCarthy's The Road and even more active than Stephen King's The Stand. The Last of Us drove home this notion of survival at all odds.
Hope is dead, yet can only be regained by staying together. As all fandoms should.