It has been nearly a decade since Naughty Dog first introduced players to Joel and Ellie in the original The Last of Us game for PlayStation 3. The title was remastered for PlayStation 4 a year later and received a full remake for PlayStation 5 last year. Now, new evidence suggests a remake of the acclaimed 2020 sequel The Last of Us Part 2 may also be in development.
According to a recent report by VGC, Mark Pajarillo, the lead outsource artist at Naughty Dog, has The Last of Us 2: Remastered listed on his LinkedIn profile under his work experience. Pajarillo joined Naughty Dog in January 2021, after the release of The Last of Us Part 2.
While not officially confirmed yet, this lends credibility to previous rumors of a TLOU2 remaster surfaced earlier this year. In April 2022, Gustavo Santaolalla, the composer for The Last of Us games, hinted at an upcoming new version of Part II during a live stream.
If Naughty Dog is indeed working on a PS5 remake for The Last of Us Part II, it would follow a similar enhanced release as 2020’s The Last of Us Part I. That remake added visual upgrades like ray tracing, improved character models, new accessibility options, and improved gameplay. Fans could expect comparable enhancements for TLOU2 on PS5.
There’s also the question of whether a remastered TLOU2 would come to PC, as Part I did earlier this year. The PC port saw a troubled launch marred by technical issues, which Naughty Dog has since fixed. Releasing a polished PC version of The Last of Us Part II remake could be a chance for redemption.
For now, The Last of Us devotees eagerly await official word from Naughty Dog on what the future holds for Ellie’s continued journey. With the HBO series renewing interest in the franchise, 2023 could be the perfect time to revisit this acclaimed title on new platforms.
