The Last of Us show has concluded its first season to much fanfare and acclaim, and once again sparking discussion and debate over that choice. But back in video games, from which the HBO series spawned, Naughty Dog honcho Neil Druckmann has been talking about a Last of Us prequel game that never came to be, but was once in contention for development.
This prequel game would've sprung from an element that viewers have seen in the show, but which never made it into the games. Namely, Ellie's mother. In the ninth episode of the HBO adaptation, Ellie's mother features (played by Ashley Johnson who voices Ellie in the games) and we find out how Ellie got her immunity, and her link with the Fireflies. This aspect was going to be a game experience originally, Druckmann recently told the Kinda Funny show.
Druckmann spoke with Kinda Funny host Greg Miller about how the idea of Ellie's mother was nearly a part of a Last of Us prequel. While we don't find out how it was going to figure exactly as a title, such as whether it was going to be part of an existing game, such as the Left Behind DLC, or a product of its own, it's a glimpse into what could've been.
"There was a much more full version of this story that went more back in time that was going to be made into a video game", Druckmann said. "Not by Naughty Dog, but a different game studio, and Greg Miller introduced me to that studio and we had talked to them for quite a while to do this thing and then it didn't quite work out".
Speaking of different game studios, it's also known that Naughty Dog is getting some outside help as it develops the PC port of The Last of Us. Iron Galaxy, which has previously helped ND with porting the Uncharted Legacy of Thieves Collection to PC, is again on hand for The Last of Us PC port, which is due to arrive March 28.