Will there be a The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 release?

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Millions of fans have been wondering this since the game was originally released, but, now more than ever, we all just want to know if there will be a The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 release.

We know that re-releases on newer generations are a staple of Sony and PlayStation and with precedent already set with first-part PS4 games getting PS5 native releases, it’s not something that’s showing signs of stopping. So, will the Naughty Dog epic follow Ghost of Tsushima and Death Stranding and get a full re-release and become The Last of Us Part 2 PS5?

Will The Last of Us 2 PS5 be released?

It seems like such an easy commercial decision as well as a fanbase-pleasing, fanbase-growing decision to do this that we feel confident predicting that yes, we will get a The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 release at some point.

The first game got a PS4 makeover mere months after it initially released on PS3, and we’ve even had a remake of The Last of Us make it to PS5 recently. The fanbase is established and would lap up a dedicated release on the latest platform, and PlayStation and Naughty Dog have already proved that with the first game. Outside of The Last of Us, we also have the precedent set by other PlayStation first-party games such as Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima getting fully-fledged PS5 releases.

From a technical perspective there’s also a case to be made – one that would see Part 2 get a genuine upgrade for PS5 (not just a redressing). And while some may argue that the game ‘got’ its PS5 release with the PS5-focused patch in 2021, this isn’t quite the same, and only really addressed and offered a boost to performance. We know that the remake of The Last of Us Part 1 for PS5 had graphics that surpassed the visuals of Part 2’s PS4 release, adding even more refinements and enhancements to textures, models, environments, and more. Away from graphics, if you throw in the PS5’s 3D audio, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers, and such, then a PS5 version would indeed be a mighty upgrade.

Another determining factor in terms of Sony’s decision will also be the success of the HBO series – and the confirmation that season two is coming, and will be based on at least part of the second game. Even from a cynical, commercial perspective, aligning a PS5 release of Part 2 to go alongside, or before or after, the second season of the HBO series is a no-brainer and will capture even more players and new fans.

When will The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 be released?

This is very hard to predict, but there are a few factors that could help determine potential release dates for a PS5 version.

The first is the aforementioned HBO series’ second season. It might well be the case that any The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 release will be seen to have maximum impact when aligned with the release time or ‘hype time’ of that second season – in an attempt to capture more audience before it airs. If this were the case, that would put a release time to late 2024 or early 2025 which is when we expect season 2 to be ready. Sigh.

The next issue to factor in is the recent PC port of The Last of Us Part 1. Which has landed very badly, and has crippling performance problems. Sony and Naughty Dog will want to rectify this immediately and turn the ship around before any thought could be given to another release or re-release in the series. But having said that, again, we’re pretty confident that we’ll eventually see The Last of Us Part 2 come to PC given the target of getting first-party games onto PC that Sony has already revealed it has.

Will there be a Last of Us Part 2 Director’s Cut?

However, despite the above hurdles or considerations, there’s still scope to think we might get a PS5 The Last of Us Part 2 sooner rather than later. First, Naughty Dog has all the tools available to it to enhance the game for PS5 – as we said above when remaking the first game. Secondly, it would still mark a serious PS5 release and event in the calendar, while also being a bankable commercial decision. More players than ever have finally got PS5s – more than 30 million apparently, at the last count – so the market base is already there in terms of sheer numbers.

Whenever it arrives, it will very likely be one of the best PS5 games going – at least in the eyes of the series’ fan base (and me, I will be pre-ordering that for sure).

The Director’s Cut terminology has been attached to a The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 release ever since the precedent was set by the likes of Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima. The term Director’s Cut is a little bit wobbly in folks’ eyes though as it implies a re-release that includes content that was originally cut from the initial release – which doesn’t really apply to either Death Stranding or Ghost of Tsushima. Both were released on PS5 with more content, and enhancements, for sure, which means that Sony may be using the phrase Director’s Cut a bit loosely, and more of something to describe a ‘complete edition’. Plus it sounds a bit cooler, than ‘ultimate’, ‘complete’, or similar buzzwords…

What would be in a Last of Us Part 2 Director’s Cut?

Assuming there is a The Last of Us Part 2 PS5 Director’s Cut – or whatever it might be called – what might be in it? Well, certainly a fully upgraded and enhanced version of the PS4 game, for starters. Optimising that for the latest hardware and adding in all the extra PS5-feature goodness would be excellent, and the increased power of the console means vastly improved textures, models, et al, and even ray-tracing of some description could be on offer.

If we want to think more out of the box or speculate intensely, the new could see a DLC expansion released with it. There was plenty of clamour for more of Ellie’s story in terms of getting to Seattle with Dina, and certainly some interest in Abby and Lev’s onward journey after being set free by Ellie which would be captivating. And plenty was hypothesised about where they would go, the chat Abby had on the radio before being captured, and that familiar building that’s on the menu screen of the game. Another element for inclusion could also be the next multiplayer entry, or Factions 2 as it is widely referred too – that would make a neat bundle in a PS5 release…

Anyway, that’s what we can theorise and hypothesise right now about a Last of Us Part 2 PS5 release – we’re pretty confident we’ll see one, but the timing is the most unpredictable factor right now

If you’re looking for information on The Last of Us Part 1 PC release then check out our guides to the best graphics settings for The Last of Us Part 1 PC as well as the latest on the incoming The Last of Us Part 1 PC patch and updates that are going to be necessary to fix the port.