The Last of Us Part 2 is a sequel to one the most popular games ever made.
Naughty Dog
The Last of Us Part 2, Sony’s post-apocalyptic survival game set decades into a pandemic that nearly wipes out humanity, has become one of the company’s fastest-selling games ever. The company said it tallied more than 4 million copies sold to customers through June 21, after its release on June 19.
The game follows characters from 2013’s blockbuster The Last of Us, a grizzled smuggler named Joel and a gay teenager named Ellie, four years after they traveled across the country facing down gangs, militias and other desperate survivors. The game also centers on a pandemic fungus that takes over people’s brains and disfigures their bodies.
The Last of Us Part 2 was praised by critics for its detailed visuals, voice acting and gameplay. Some portions of the internet however criticized the game’s story and its marketing, which omitted surprise twists. Still, that hasn’t kept millions of people from purchasing and playing.
Now playing:
Watch this:
The Last of Us Part 2 is a brilliant work of art
7: 30
For more like this
Subscribe to the CNET Now newsletter for our editors’ picks for the most important stories of the day.
“The Last of Us Part 2 represents large scale innovation in gaming with a great blend of excellent gameplay mechanics and masterful storytelling,” Eric Lempel, senior vice president of worldwide marketing for Sony PlayStation, said in a statement. “We strive to bring you unique, engaging experiences.”
Sony’s financial success with the Last of Us Part 2 is the latest example of how popular video games have become in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic happening in the real world, which has infected nearly 10 million people and killed more than 484,000 patients since it was first detected in December. Governments around the globe have ordered millions of people to shelter at home, in hopes of slowing the virus’s spread. That’s helped to contribute to record video game sales a