Former IGN Editor Gives Fresh Information on The Last of Us Part II Release Date

Former IGN Editor, Alanah Pearce, may have just let slip Sony's plans for releasing The Last of Us Part II.

[ChristianReggieWait]

Ooooooooo

[mikeslemonade]

TLoU 2 should have already came out already by skipping UC4 all together. Dissapointing we have to wait until the end of the generation to experience the best games like GTA and TLoU.

[TGGJustin]

I mean I'm not sure someone at IGN would really have that information but wait and see I guess.

[Sgt_Slaughter]

She left IGN a while ago, this site just didn't bother to research

[Smok91]

It’s in the title. “former”

Remember when people would actually read?

[Sgt_Slaughter]

Wasn't that way originally when I viewed the article, so I'm not wrong.

[sander9702]

After Days Gone but might avoid holiday so probably autumn release.

[Christopher]

September/October is prime spot typically. I'm thinking Days Gone, Dreams mid-year, TLoUP2 end of year. Others sprinkled in there. If TLoUP2 is end of year, though, Ghost is definitely early 2020 (March-ish).

[mkis007]

How so? The time sucker punch has been free is longer than naughty dog. Druckman worked on Uncharted 4 and then started TLou2

[Christopher]

@mkis007

Few things.

1. ND has two studios worth of people. They are working on TLoUP2 and an unreleased title that most believe is the next Uncharted game. But the main focus is currently on TLoUP2. Sucker Punch is a much smaller studio, less than half of what ND has in total (ND has over 500, SP has about 200).
2. Development of TLoUP2 began before U4 was finished, it just grew in size and overall effort after U4 was completed as senior persons were reassigned as needed, including Druckman. Tons of work on engine, gameplay, modeling, writing, etc. can be done without Druckman.
3. Sucker Punch is working on an entirely new IP as opposed to building on an established IP. That means a few things, from them having to test various new IP concepts and present them to Sony for 'approval' to them having to go through many versions of gameplay concepts and ideas. We don't know if Ghost was their first attempt at a new game or if they started on something, spent a year in it, and it was decided that it wasn't going to work so they had to go back to finding a new IP idea.

As a side note, this will also be SP's first completely new IP since joining Sony. They were bought after inFamous and only made those games thereafter. But this is the first new IP from them since joining Sony, which might be a bit of a learning curve for a team that has coasted in inFamouse since last generation.

Edit: I modified the above to remove #4 and combine it with #1 as I was pretty much saying the same thing, just slightly different.

[milohighclub]

Christopher, who thinks naughty dog are working in the next uncharted game? ND have clearly stated they are done with uncharted and will not be returning to the franchise any time soon.

[Christopher]

***will not be returning to the franchise any time soon.***

2021 will be four years between U4 and whatever ND is working on. I think that is outside the realm of "any time soon".

As to whom? Most people in the smallest industry wondering about the crew of people hired in the last year to work on an untitled game with ND.

To be honest, I seriously hope it's not an Uncharted game.

[ArchangelMike]

I think there's a very good chanceTLOU2 will release this year. I think it'll be out sometime in the 4th quarter before PSX in December.

[rainslacker]

If that were the case, I could understand why Sony may not have revealed the release date yet. Doing so could distract from Days Gone, and since people seem to want to say they're the same when they're really not, it could negatively affect sales of that game.

[sprinterboy]

September

[DigitalHope]

That would actually be Q3 if it was in Oct, Nov or Dec. A lot of big games are coming out Q4 this year which is why Days Gone was moved the Q1 of 2019. Historically Sony has dropped a big game in Q4 (God of War, Horizon) to have astrong showing at the end of the fiscal year. Seems some of the other publishers have caught on and I assume Sony isn’t too worried about not having a strong final quarter of 2018 with Anthem and Divison 2 coming out. With Days Gone moved to Q1 2019 (April, May, June) I would assume Last of Us part 2 moves to Q2 2019 (July, August, Sept) to have a massive showing throughout the year. Like Sony would want to avoid Q3 because that is a strong month where they let marketing deals with 3rd party carry the load. This is why Sony generally drops exclusives in the off months. Look at 2018 for example God of War Q4 2017, Detroit Q1 2018, Spider-Man Q2 2018, Red Dead, COD marketing Q3 2018. I’m a little worried about Days Gone being moved but hopefully it’s not a big deal. I’m not a PlayStation Rep but I am a Sony rep and that kind of how the company works.

Edit. I’m wrong on God of War I thought it released in March and it actually released in April making it Q1 2018. I’m blanking on if Sony actually releases anything through Jan to March of 2018.

Edit 2: Shadow of the Colossus was the big drop in Q4 2017 along with a bunch of good VR games.

[ArchangelMike]

I hear you, although obviously you realise I was not talking about the financial quarter, but the actual monthly fourth quarter of the year, but I agree with you anyway and I like your analysis :)

I think it was smart of Sony to move Days Gone to April, February was just way too crowded with games like Crackdown, Anthem, Mertro Exodus etc. If they give it the polish it deserves I think it will do well as the first big Playstation exclusive of the year.

[DigitalHope]

My apologies sir haha, my mind always works in fiscal months, but that’s just the business. I can’t say much on Days Gone because I’ve had no hands on time but I am friends with the PlayStation Rep in my territory and he was at a Rep conference in Vegas like late summer. He did get hands on time and said it would be a game to watch out for. So I hope he’s right!

Regardless I don’t think Last of Us part 2 will be out Oct, Nov, or Dec. Likely it will fall somewhere July to Sept.

[blackblades]

Oh Yeah forgot it was 2019

[DrumBeat]

I hope so. This is my most anticipated game. I definitely see it releasing this year. With the new console generation around the corner, I'm pretty sure they'd want to release it before 2020, as it's been advertised so far as a PS4 game.

[Veneno]

If TLOU 2 is 2019 then I wonder when Death Stranding comes out when the rumor is that DS is already completed. Weird..

[rainslacker]

DS could be their mid-late summer release. Sony seems to be aiming for at least a big game for 3 of the 4 quarters of the year, with the 4th quarter being for the holidays also. That would possibly put TLOU as a September release.

[Seraphim]

thats always been my assumption. Summer. It seems like a logical slot to put Death Stranding.

[MoshA]

It's a waste releasing one of the only games that can beat Cyberpunk this early. Leave Death Stranding or TLOU 2 for 2020. We need console exclusives to keep winning GOTY awards and getting the highest scores each year.

[Silly gameAr]

I don't care about GOTY awards. I'd rather play the games.

[ClayRules2012]

I don’t need games to receive “the highest scores or get GOTY awards”

The focus should be on Sony’s studios delivering fun gaming experiences to players, while maintaining that top notch/high quality that they’re known for in storytelling, gameplay, sound design, animations, performance etc...

It’s just icing on the cake when their games or any game from any studio really is of the caliber to be GOTY.

[ArchangelMike]

That's the great thing about the Playstation ecosystem though, it caters to the best multiplats as well as the best exclusives. Personally I wouldn't compare and compete TLOU2 with a game like Cyberpunk 2027. They are just so very different in every way. Moreover, I'm pretty sure TLOU2 will win it's fair share of GOTY awards, don't worry about that. :)

[Matrix6]

The Last of Us Part II istotally going to be released this year, I'm just waiting on the Collector's Edition announcement! 😍

[tombfan]

This article is bananas, they even said that Sony release a trailer called “coming attractions for 2019” when in fact it's never ever EVER mention the 2019 date.

[Italiano1234567]

What u dont realize is Sony had similar coming attraction videos in 2017 and 2018 and all games in those videos were released that year.

[tombfan]

Yes, BUT! But but but but but, but. They don't mention the year to have a window in case any of those games are delayed (Not usually done by Sony, but they have a title or two with delays) Besides I'm not judging the video or the release, I'm judging the article putting extra words and dates where there's not.

[smolinsk]

Of course it's going to come this year it's only about when.

[StormLegend]

If this and death stranding comes out in 2019 then I'll be set straight for this year.

[zahdab]

I would suspect it'll be forward compatible with ps5 and showcase the difference in graphics between ps5 and ps4/ps4 pro

[thornh]

What about Ghost of Tsushima?

Days Gone, Death Stranding, Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us II. I think The Last of Us II will be Spring 2020. PS5 Fall 2020 with God of War 5 in Spring 2021. Oh, and Final Fantasy VII in 2020.

[sprinterboy]

Ghost is the one that will slip into 2020 I think

[milohighclub]

DG, DS, GoT and TLoU are all 2019 titles.

[Skankinruby]

All I know is if this game comes out this year whatever gets released after that won't get a chance to get the spotlight as this will be the huge talk all the way through to ps5 release. Only way this wont be playstations biggest exclusive this gen is if naughty dog messed it up, which I highly doubt.

[DaGR8JIBRALTAR]

If you saw the "coming in 2019" trailer then this is not news. Gonna be the last big game for the ps4 like part one was for the ps3.

[sprinterboy]

The trailer was "coming attractions" not "coming in 2019"

[sprinterboy]

Alanah Pearce trying to get clicks after leaving ign for that awful show.

[Italiano1234567]

U didnt know everyone has been leaving IGN

[AizenSosuke]

Yes please give me my relief from life in prison.

[V3geta]

I know there have been some signs of this releasing this year but I still can't see it happening. It just hasn't had the marketing I think this kind of game would get if it was releasing this year.

[Dizzy11523]

Hard pass.

[HeisenbergX]

i say a summer release date same as TLOU 1

[AK91]

Alannah isn’t known for her accuracy when it comes to predicting things like this so I’ll take it with a grain of salt.

[Bleucrunch]

doesn't matter when its going to release, we know its latter stages of development. whenever it releases most of us will get it.

[frankiebeans]

wait and buy the ps5 port

[mafiahajeri]

Lol no shit bs ass anyone can make type of assumption.

[wcas]

Loved the first game. This one is an easy pass for me. This game is woke, so not for me. Good luck with your political agenda game. These woke games rarely have a story that is any good.

[Bismarn]

Honest I'm not trolling....I thought this game had already come out. As an Xbox gamer its just noise to me and I feel like that trailer with the girls kissing came out in 2017.

[Livingthedream]

2019? Time to pick up a ps4 pro again.

[Miacosa]

2019 holiday always seemed possible not really earth breaking news.

[tylersam]

Nice post

[milohighclub]

I'm calling first half of the year. 2nd fiscal quarter at the latest..

[SuperDuke1290]

Fingers crossed for a september release... Another busy year :)

[terstomp]

I hope they just release it when it is ready and not cave in to pressure as there are too many buggy unpolished AAA games being released.