Unveiling the Bittersweet Explorations of The Last of Us Day 2021

Highlights

The Last of Us Day is meant to celebrate the franchise's community, usually with merchandise launches or simple memorabilia drops.

Don't expect any significant announcements or reveals regarding future game projects during The Last of Us Day this year. The development of both The Last of Us spin-off multiplayer game and a potential third installment in the franchise appears to be in its initial phases, with minimal content disclosed thus far.

There is significant acclaim surrounding Naughty Dog and its various projects and intellectual properties. The Last of Us has become a well-known franchise, loved by fans since its inception in 2013 and gaining further recognition through its HBO adaptation. The franchise has achieved great success, evident by the annual celebration known as The Last of Us Day. However, it is unlikely that any major announcements will be made during this year's event in September.

Instead, The Last of Us Day is primarily intended to honor the community that supports the franchise. This often includes the release of merchandise or other memorabilia, such as downloadable digital wallpapers. Last year's significant offering was a brief teaser trailer for The Last of Us' television adaptation and the availability of the original game's soundtrack on vinyl. However, this year, fans have even less reason to expect news about future game projects related to The Last of Us, as those developments remain uncertain.

Naughty Dog Might Have Nothing of Substance to Share This September

Given the HBO show's mention during The Last of Us Day, fans anticipated that The Last of Us Day 2023 could potentially bring more updates about the show's second season. However, due to ongoing strikes, it is highly unlikely that this will occur. There have been subtle hints indicating that Abby might already have been cast for the second season of The Last of Us, but such news would likely be kept under wraps until a more suitable time, avoiding any inconvenient overlap with The Last of Us Day.

In terms of upcoming games, Naughty Dog has been facing significant challenges recently. If a third installment of The Last of Us is indeed in the works, its initial announcement or confirmation would probably not take place during a niche community celebration. This is understandable considering the desire to reach a wider audience and generate a greater level of excitement.

The Last of Us' spin-off multiplayer game appears to be getting closer to release, as it has been confirmed and in development for a while. However, recent development has been unstable, requiring reassessments. Only a few concept art pieces have been released, indicating that it is still in the early stages of development. Therefore, if any information about the game were to be revealed on The Last of Us Day, it would be a significant surprise.

Instead, it seems likely that Naughty Dog will keep the game completely confidential until they have a clear understanding of their ambitions for the multiplayer spin-off. It is anticipated that Naughty Dog will present merchandise for fans on September 26, and it is fortunate that major announcements or game reveals are not typically made on The Last of Us Day. However, it is still disappointing that there is not much information available on Naughty Dog's current The Last of Us projects, aside from the HBO adaptation, although these circumstances are understandable.

Naughty Dog has no obligation to share anything with fans regarding its games, even during The Last of Us Day. Maintaining a sense of secrecy until they are prepared is an effective way to manage expectations. However, this approach will ideally lead to a substantial release of The Last of Us content when the second season, multiplayer spin-off, and potential third installment are all ready to be shared.