Last of Us 2 Director Explains Plot Hole Concerning Joel's Music Taste

In the world that Naughty Dog has created for The Last of Us, the Cordyceps fungus has taken over the world, turning its victims into zombie-like creatures. The fungus' "Outbreak Day" begins around September of 2013, which is how the first game kicks off. 24 years later, Joel is relaxing in the town of Jackson with Ellie, strumming on a guitar. However, the song he plays might seem a little out of place.

At the beginning of The Last of Us 2, Joel is playing Pearl Jam's "Future Days," a song that released in the real world during October of 2013. While the year aligns with the outbreak, Pearl Jam would not have been around to release the song in October within Naughty Dog's world. When fans and critics began pointing out this "plot hole," director Neil Druckmann made his way to Twitter to clear up the confusion.
 

 

In his Tweet, Druckmann revealed that "Future Days" was performed live by the band and posted to YouTube by July of 2013. Due to this, it is entirely possible that Joel could have heard the song and learned to play it, possibly before the outbreak even occurred. For those who are unaware, Pearl Jam is a group from 1990 which formed in Seattle, Washington, the setting of Last of Us 2. It may be a coincidence but is more likely on purpose, that the developers have their Seattle-based game begin with a Seattle-born band, playing "Future Days" in the year 2034.

The guitar that Joel plays on ends up becoming a gift to Ellie, and players have the opportunity to play the instrument at various parts throughout the game. Many fans have recorded themselves playing actual songs on the guitar, due to its immense detail and ease of play. Although the game has certain notes that it wants players to hit before entering the next cutscene, users can take as long as they want to get there.

Due to Naughty Dog's excessive attention to detail in its games, fans were shocked to discover a plot hole such as this in their newest installment. Drukmann's tweet brings relief to many that thought the studio had missed something in the development of the game. The Last of Us 2 is still receiving mixed reviews from critics and users alike, but one thing that cannot be denied is that Naughty Dog emphasizes the smallest details to fully immerse their players.
 

Kieran Mouritsen
Editor, NoobFeed