The Last of Us was one of the best exclusives the PS3 had to offer, if not the best. So much so that it spawned a PS4 remaster, a sequel and the upcoming Last of Us HBO show. There have also been rumors that the game will maker the transition to PS5, and the latest suggests it could happen this year.
This news comes from GamesBeat reporter Jeff Grubb, during the Kinda Funny Gamescast (via VGC). Grubb claims to be “pretty confident” that the remake will arrive this holiday season. Previously leaker Tom Henderson also claimed that the remake could be ready for a late 2022 release.
None of this information has been confirmed by Sony or Naughty Dog, so we’re going to have to wait and see exactly what happens.
What we do know is that Naughty Dog is working on multiplayer projects at the moment, and has been hiring for “its first standalone multiplayer game.” The Last of Us 2 was supposed to have an online mode, and Naughty Dog has confirmed it was still in development as of last September.
Henderson also claimed that Naughty Dog is working on a Director’s Cut of The Last of Us 2, which could include the multiplayer options sliced from the original release. Then there’s The Last of Us TV show, due to arrive next year on HBO Max, whose development the studio is actively participating in.
This wouldn’t be the first time The Last of Us was rereleased for a new console. The Last of Us Remastered was released on PS4 in July 2019, with improved graphics, better framerates, support for the Dualshock 4 controller and included the all previously released DLC — including ‘Left Behind’ which focuses on Ellie before the events of the game.
Doubtless a PS5 remake would involve a lot more than porting the game to PS5. After all, the PS4 version of the game is playable via backwards compatibility. Normally remakes involve building the game from the ground up, with improved visuals, sounds, and possibly more in-game features.
Aty the very least we’d expect a PS5 version to include 4K resolution, HDR and 60 frames per second. However, there’s also scope to include more advanced features like ray tracing, 120 fps support, variable refresh rate, and more.
Bloomberg originally reported that the game was in the works with PlayStation’s Visual Arts Group, before Naughty Dog took over in mid-2020. Internet detectives also noticed a Naughty Dog QA team member briefly listed an “unannounced remake” on their resumé.
There was also some speculation following PlayStation’s CES 2022 sizzle reel, which featured Joel and Ellie with brand new character models.
We’re going to have to be patient and see where things go. If Grubb is right, and The Last of Us really is set to arrive this holiday, then we shouldn’t have to wait too long to hear something official. E3 may not be happening, but that period of June is still well known for big video game announcements — even from companies like Sony that abandoned the conference a few years back.
While Sony hasn’t announced any plans, it’s likely that there will be a State of Play, or some similar event, over the coming weeks. That would be as good a place as any to announce this long-rumored title.
