With players stuck inside during the Coronavirus crisis, the hunger for new, long, immersive games is higher than ever, despite the difficulty many players will have in getting their hands on them. Easily one of the most anticipated of these isThe Last of Us 2, which players have wanted basically from the moment they finished the originalThe Last of Us. They will have to continue waiting though, as not only isnoThe Last of Us 2playable demo forthcoming, the actual game is currently delayed for who knows how long.
The delay ofThe Last of Us 2is largely due to the Coronavirus slowing production of games across the board, and it is far from the only one players will have to wait for. What adds an extra layer of frustration for many players is the fact that the game has been in production for years, and each tease has been tantalizingly small, always leaving fans of the first game eager for more.
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One possible solution to the delay that has been suggested, and that many players would be happy to see implemented, would be to release the game digitally before a physical copy is circulated. While this is a popular demand among fans, there has beenno final decision regarding aLast of Us 2early digital releaseyet from Sony or the developer of the game, Naughty Dog. The biggest reason behind this was revealed by Neil Druckmann in a recent edition of the official PlayStation Blogcast, and it turns out it has very little to do with the state of the game itself. The biggest problem, according to Druckmann, is actually ensuring the game is actually released worldwide, as several regions do not have great ease of access to online resources.
Druckmann explained that the reasoning behind the decision is the game would not get a true worldwide release if some parts of the world couldn’t purchase or access the digital copy. Among problems arising is one of spoilers, as one of the biggest draws forThe Last of Uswas its gripping and emotional story in a fungus-zombie apocalypse. ConsideringThe Last of Us 2is supposed to make players “question everything”(Troy Baker) they know about the game’s world and story, it would be unfair if that story was spoiled for people before they could experience it first hand.
This being the biggest hurdle, all parties involved are of courselooking for options to releaseThe Last of Us 2world wideASAP, but the unfortunate truth is that this may simply not be possible for a while. It’s a shame too, consideringThe Last of Uswas one of the biggest titles ever for the PlayStation and NaughtyDog, and the sequel will no doubt draw in a huge amount of revenue just through its mere existence.
For now though, it looks like an early digital release is not in the cards, and the mysteries of Joelle and Ellie’s future adventures are out of reach. Players may have to get used toThe Last of Us 2being delayed indefinitelyand look to games likeResident Evil 3for their zombie-slaying fix for now.
The Last of Us 2is in development for the PS4
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