The Last of Us 2: ‘Fastest-Selling PS4 Exclusive to Date’

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us 2 was the most anticipated release of the year. And despite the leaks and some negative opinions about the gore and violence in the game, people rushed to buy it on the day of release. Subsequently, it has been shattering records since then and it will likely continue to do so in subsequent months.

The Last of Us 2: Breaking Records

TLOU2 sold over 4 million copies within the first three days of its release. It broke the previous record, which was set by Marvel’s Spider-Man that stood at 3.3 million copies. It also obliterated God of War’s record of 3.1 million copies sold in the first three days.

That, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. TLOU has broken numerous other records.

It became the fastest-selling game for the month of June 2020, which is also the second biggest launch month ever for PlayStation exclusives. Having sold 2.8 million copies digitally, the game broke PlayStation’s digital launch record.

Moreover, it currently stands as the third best-selling game of the year in the US.  Only Animal Crossing: new Horizons and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare have sold more copies this year.

Enhanced Gameplay

The game recently received an update in the form of ‘Grounded Mode’. It made the combat tougher as the enemies became smarter. In other words, it enhanced combat and made it more fluid.

Creative Director Neil Druckmann thanked the fans for helping the game grow and reach new heights.

“We are so immensely grateful to the millions of fans around the world that have played The Last of Us Part 2 and shared their experiences with us over the last week. We set out to tell a new kind of story, one that deals with difficult themes and would challenge you in unexpected ways.

“Hearing how the experience has resonated with so many of you and witnessing the type of thoughtful discussions it has sparked has been so incredible.” 

Neil had previously worked with Bruce Straley on Uncharted 2 and together they formed the core team behind this new masterpiece.

It’s safe to say that Naughty Dogs is in safe hands and all the superb titles it has produced to date has laid the foundation for more engrossing titles in the future.

SPOILER AHEAD

The devs have also given us an idea of how the development process saw a sequence of changes. The ending isn’t what they had initially planned. There was a change of heart and the studio opted to end the cycle of violence. it also made the ending somewhat unpredictable. This shows how vital and intricate the process of development is. How one idea changed the course of the game.

Naughty Dogs has established itself as a studio bursting with titles worthy of world acclaim. The numbers and records speak for themselves. however, you have to play the game to truly understand what makes it special.