The long-rumored remake of The Last of Us for PlayStation 5 could be targeting a Holiday 2022 release window, according to games industry insider Jeff Grubb. Sony and developer Naughty Dog have yet to officially announce the project, but it is expected to be in production alongside a dedicated PS5 version of The Last of Us Part II, as well as the follow-up to the first game’s Factions multiplayer mode.
TLOU originally launched in 2013 at the tail end of the PlayStation 3’s life cycle, with a PS4 remaster dropping the following year. It took seven years for the sequel to release, with Naughty Dog developing Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in the interim. The mysterious TLOU remake was seemingly confirmed by development staff through a Naughty Dog employee’s LinkedIn profile, but just like with Part 2‘s delayed multiplayer, the studio has remained mum on details.
Now insider Jeff Grubb, speaking on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, has expressed confidence that the PS5 remake of The Last of Us will release around the end of 2022. Grubb’s knowledge of the project echoes what previous rumors purported – the remake began under the purview of Sony’s Visual Arts Service Group, a PlayStation Studios support team, before being taken over by Naughty Dog proper. Although the game has yet to even be officially acknowledged by Sony and Naughty Dog, Grubb claims the efficiency of the developer makes Holiday 2022 a realistic release window.
As for the Visual Arts Service Group, the development shake-up TLOU‘s remake caused at Sony has left the support team’s prospects unclear. Grubb alludes to the Service Group initially looking at taking over Uncharted, but pivoting to The Last of Us‘ PS5 remake when that didn’t pan out. According to the initial rumors from Bloomberg in April 2021, Days Gone developer Bend Studio was attached to the next Uncharted, but has since withdrawn, leaving the project in a nebulous position.
Best case scenario for The Last of Us fans would be the entire saga coming to the PlayStation 5 at once. Part 2‘s multiplayer component was separated from the base game and delayed due to its large scope, but any sort of release from the series would bolster Sony’s upcoming exclusives schedule. Forspoken (which is also coming to PC) and God of War Ragnarök are both still slated for 2022, but a TLOU PS5 remake finally adding a Factions mode follow-up would certainly be a marquee PlayStation release. Amidst many game delays, The Last of Us‘ remake landing on PS5 before the end of 2022 would make for an exciting second half of Sony’s calendar year.
