Naughty Dog's latest highly acclaimed title, The Last of Us: Part 2, has sold over 4 million copies worldwide. This sales data comes only from two days after the game's initial release.
The game has become the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive, taking over Spider-Man's reign of that coveted title, which was at 3.3 million copies sold after its first week. The Last of Us: Part II also slightly beat Uncharted 4: A Thief's End's record as the fastest-selling game in the UK by 1%. This must be a huge feat for the development team at Naughty Dog.
The news came from the PlayStation Blog, and within the post, Neil Druckmann, The Last of Us: Part 2's director expressed his gratitude to the fans. He said, "We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways. Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible."
This challenging story with "difficult themes" has stirred up some controversy over the past week. For example, it was review bombed on Metacritic for the game's political views and LGBT representation. The Last of Us: Part 2 currently has a 4.6 user score on the aggregation website. There's also a petition on Change.org with over 30,000 signatures, asking Naughty Dog to "remake the storyline."
The Last of Us: Part 2 is worthy of the crazy sales numbers and the critical praise it has received. It manages to blend compelling exploration gameplay and visceral combat with an impactful storyline complemented by some of the best performances in years. The way the characters' animations are incredible, as well, with convincing body language and eye movement. The brilliant writing and masterwork artists at Naughty Dog came together to deliver a powerfully emotional experience that will make its mark in the industry for years to come.
This post-apocalyptic game will likely reach a high number of sales as gamers continue to scavenge physical and digital storefronts for it. And, with The Last of Us: Part 2 leaving the doors wide open for a third title in the series and an HBO series on the way, Naughty Dog is unlikely to back out of the franchise anytime soon.
Source: PlayStation Blog