The Last of Us Part 2 news, gameplay, trailer, release date and everything you need to know
We have been waiting for more than six years, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic is forcing us all to wait a little longer to rejoin Joel and Ellie in a post-apocalyptic adventure with The Last of Us Part 2.
It's been a turbulent month for Naughty Dog and Sony, with delays, intense public scrutiny over video game crunch-culture, and a spate of leakers who managed to reveal the entire story of the game ahead of release causing them more than a few headaches they could do without.
Sony didn't show up to E3 2019, and nobody will be turning up to E3 2020 (*sad video game noises*) and the world has been given quite a few supposed release dates, and nothing concrete to focus on.
The first game was a massive critical success and has gone on to inspire a bunch of other single-player adventures across all genres, so people are rightly anxious to get stuck into the sequel – if it hasn't already been spoiled for them.
So what is the actual release date? Are the leaks true? Read on to find out everything we know about The Last of Us Part 2.
The Last of Us Part 2 release date: When is it coming out?
We're still all sat here waiting on the edge of our seats for an official release date, but we unfortunately don't know anything concrete just yet, mostly due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis which has put the whole world on pause.
We have a release date in the bag, but Naughty Dog has changed it multiple times, so be prepared to have your hopes dashed for a fourth time.
So the new official release date for The Last of Us Part 2 is for June 19, 2020. It was just a few months ago that we were winding up to a release date of May 29, and it was only a few months ago that we were anticipating a February release date.
There have been many reasons why it was pushed, but we do really hope Naughty Dog will be able to stick to schedule and bring this massive sequel out soon.
This game has been a long time in development from its first announcement all the way back in 2016, and this is the third delay we have seen so far.
The Last of Us Part 2 leak: So what happened with the leaker?
We won't be giving away any spoilers here, but there was a video that hit the internet last week showing key moments from the new game, as well as exactly what happens at the end of the game – disaster.
We haven't been told who the leaker is – though we do know they are not connected to SIE or Naughty Dog – but it doesn't look good for one of the biggest titles of 2020.
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier did some digging and figured it was some hackers using code from a different game to access TLOU2 files.
He tweeted: "OK: After talking to two people with direct knowledge of how TLOU2 leaked as well as some Naughty Dog employees, I have a good idea of what happened. Short version: hackers found a security vulnerability in a patch for an older ND game and used it to get access to ND's servers."
We recommend steering clear of the leaks and experiencing the finished version of game properly when it *finally* launches.
The Last of Us Part 2 trailer: how does it look?
The last time we heard from Sony and Naughty Dog, we got a brutally violent trailer that showed off some stealth, some kills, and some heart-wrenchingly intimate moments as Ellie explores her teenage emotions.
This trailer from E3 2018 stitches together a cutscene of Ellie having a party and experimenting with romantic feelings, with tight gameplay that has her savagely cutting down men while trying to remain undetected.
Ellie has has developed her skills to become much more deadly since the first game, despite her size. She quickly takes down enemies, loots their bodies for resources, and crafts new weapons to keep herself alive and it looks thrilling.
We get some more ultra-violent action in the other trailers Sony has released since 2018, but we mostly get that this game is going to be much darker, and more haunting, as the themes turn towards human conflicts, both on a grand and interpersonal scale.
As if the hype wasn't high enough, voice actor Troy Baker (who plays Joel from the first game) has been drumming up fan expectation at Manchester Comic-Con, claiming fans are "not ready" for The Last of Us Part 2.
Baker said: "There is nothing about this game, nor the reveals, that hasn't been 100% carefully crafted and methodically curated.
"All I can tell you is that as much as you're clamouring for it, you're not ready."
The Last of Us Part 2 will release on PlayStation consoles on June 19.
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