The Ultimate Last of Us Prequel: Unveiling a Riveting Backstory Beyond Joel

With The Last of Us gaining immense popularity over the past decade, it is evident that the franchise still has much more to offer. While the confirmed next installment, The Last of Us Multiplayer, is on its way, it feels like Naughty Dog has barely scratched the surface of the vast potential within The Last of Us universe. A direct sequel to The Last of Us Part 2 may not be the only option to explore.

The possibilities for The Last of Us as a franchise seem nearly limitless. While a follow-up to Ellie's journey would be the most obvious and captivating choice for the next entry in the series, there is also great potential for a prequel game set during the initial outbreak of the Cordyceps infection. Although Joel, a beloved character, would seem like the logical protagonist for a prequel, his story has already been fully realized. It is time to introduce new characters into The Last of Us universe.

A Last of Us Prequel Should Shift Focus Away From Joel and Ellie

Content: Joel and Ellie are the emotional core of The Last of Us, playing crucial roles in both the games and HBO show. Their relationship serves as the foundation for exploring the game's main themes of loss, found family, redemption, and revenge in a natural and captivating manner. However, despite their importance, the storyline surrounding Joel and Ellie has reached its conclusion in The Last of Us Part 2. There is a vast unexplored potential for Naughty Dog to delve into in this world.

Should a Last of Us prequel ever come to fruition, it should not feel necessary to have players reenact Joel's journey. Instead, an ideal prequel could focus on an entirely new group of survivors, situated in a location unseen in the games or show. This would allow Naughty Dog complete creative freedom in terms of crafting the story, without being constrained by existing character timelines.

The potential for a Last of Us prequel game that does not focus on Joel is boundless. One possibility is to center the game around a fresh group of survivors who are struggling to stay alive in a city overrun by infected just days after the initial outbreak. This would give players an extended and horrifying glimpse into the moment when everything broke loose, rather than skipping ahead several decades to when the FEDRA QZs are already established. Another option for a prequel could delve into the origins of the Fireflies and allow players to take on the role of a Firefly soldier who successfully takes control of the city from FEDRA, only for everything to go up in flames shortly after.

Naturally, as is common in prequels within established franchises, there should be a certain amount of fan service. A Last of Us prequel does not have to distance itself completely from the other entries in the series. For instance, if the prequel is set in the 20 years between Outbreak Day and Joel and Ellie's meeting, it would make sense for Joel to have a cameo appearance in the right context. In the first game, it is well established that Joel and Tess carry out various smuggling missions for different factions, so it is not far-fetched to imagine that one of these missions could bring them face-to-face with the new set of characters in The Last of Us prequel, providing fans with a satisfying nod while still allowing the new characters to take center stage for the majority of the game.