The Last of Us Part 2 Plot Leaks Could Derail The PlayStation Franchise

When I finally defeated the last flurry of enemies on The Last of Us for my PlayStation 3? I knew that I had completed a game that was not only very, very special, but would hold a lasting legacy in the pantheon of gaming greats.

Having the ability to play a title that drove so deeply into narrative, making me feel genuine emotional ties to the main characters? It's something I probably haven't felt in a game since I finished The Last of Us.

Sure, I've enjoyed other games on a baser level, Devil May Cry 5 was a fun action romp, Spiderman was a great experience before it became tedious and repetitive and Red Dead Redemption 2 looked amazing...but I wasn't playing as John Marston.
 

 

When it was confirmed that Naughty Dog would be creating The Last of Us: Part 2 I was (as many others were) so supremely excited at the prospect of diving headfirst back into the world of Joel and Ellie. 

Would we see Ellie grow in strength and savvy in this post-apocalyptic world? Would Joel continue to be the main protagonist or would he take a more secondary role? These were questions that I couldn't wait to be answered by the new title.

Now, as you're probably more than aware, the plot for The Last of Us: Part 2 was leaked about a month ago. It was originally reported that a 'disgruntled' Naughty Dog employee had leaked the story, however this now does not appear to be the case.

Motion picture and television studios spend a lot of time, energy and money ensuring that scripts for major shows and movies aren't leaked, as this can have a hugely detrimental effect on the commercial success of the venture. You would probably go and see Avengers: Endgame if you knew the ending, but there's probably quite a few out there that wouldn't really bother.

With The Last of Us: Part 2 script leaking (no spoilers here because I HAVE NOT read them) there's a possibility that commercially the game may take a hit on sales. TLOU franchise is a major jewel in Sony's PlayStation crown, so for any sort of detrimental element to potentially derail the series they must be at least a bit concerned. Whilst I have not tried to see what the spoilers contain, there does seem to be more than a little resentment from fans online regarding the story arc and what occurs with Ellie.

The Last of Us is an intellectual property that Sony and Naughty Dog could bring into the next-gen and potentially beyond, so for a major hiccup like this before the release date in June? I think that it is definitely going to have an impact on the commercial success of the game.

Whilst not to generalise, the section of gamers that play titles such as The Last of Us are more likely to be tuned into online developments of games, trailers, updates and release schedules more than the casual Call of Duty player. The Last of Us is a narrative driven series, and now the narrative has been revealed, will it still draw the audience? 

Here's hoping.
 

Jake Skudder, Editor, NoobFeed
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