How The Last of Us Changed the Apocalypse Genre Forever

The Last of Us proved that character-driven survival games could be both critical and commercial hits, inspiring a wave of similar titles across the industry.

The Last of Us proved that character-driven survival games could be both critical and commercial hits, inspiring a wave of similar titles across the industry.

Key points - Bruce Straley said in 2012 that no one else was making character-driven survival action games. - Neil Druckmann argued games weren't approaching the genre from the character side before The Last of Us. - The Last of Us influenced games like A Plague Tale, Dying Light, Days Gone, Tomb Raider, and God of War. - Neil Druckmann confirmed Naughty Dog has a couple projects in the works, even as the TV show ends.

Timeline - 2012: Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann discuss The Last of Us before its release. - 2013: The Last of Us launches and becomes a critical and commercial success. - 2023: The Last of Us TV adaptation airs, bringing new attention to the series. - 2024: Neil Druckmann confirms Naughty Dog has multiple projects in development.

FAQ

Q: What did Bruce Straley mean by 'nobody' was making games like The Last of Us? A: He meant that in 2012, no other studio was creating character-driven survival action games, so Naughty Dog saw an open opportunity.

Q: Which games have been influenced by The Last of Us? A: A Plague Tale, Dying Light, Days Gone, the new Tomb Raider trilogy, and God of War and Ragnarok all borrow elements from Naughty Dog's design.

Q: Is Naughty Dog working on more The Last of Us games? A: Yes, Neil Druckmann has confirmed the studio has a couple projects in the works, though details are still under wraps.