The Last of Us 2is in a troubling position that no game wants to find itself in. PlayStation has officially delayedThe Last of Us 2indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. By early reports, the game is either done or nearly done. Without the pandemic,The Last of Us 2would come out on May 29 like planned. Now that it’s not, there are big questions to ask and few answers available. One such question is whetherThe Last of Us 2could potentially be released digitally early.
The question is being asked because of the reasons forThe Last of Us 2and other games' delay. It’s a matter of logistics. Retail sales make up a huge percent of sales for major game releases, but the retail network is both in shambles right now and using it encourages an unhealthy workplace. There’s no telling when COVID-19 will be “over,” which is why the delay is indefinite. It’s also why other games coming to retail are also likely to be delayed.
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It’s no wonder then that PlayStation is being asked if it’s considering if there’s a possibility of an early digital release forThe Last of Us 2.The Last of Us 2creative directorNeil Druckmannhas an answer, or at least the vestige of one. For now, the team is considering “all sorts of options,” including an all-digital early release. The team very much wants to get the game released “as soon as possible.”
Druckmann makes clear that it’s not just a matter of retail logistics holdingThe Last of Us 2back, though. He says that thePlayStationteam is also asking “is the internet infrastructure there to support all countries?” That’s because many regions and service providers are running on emergency protocol to ensure services don’t go down during the crisis. Even an all-digital launch may not be realistic right now.
For the time being, Naughty Dog remains focused on finishingThe Last of Us 2. Druckmann maintains that the game is nearly finished. Despite the delay,Naughty Dogis going to finishThe Last of Us 2as if it was still on schedule. “That’s the frustrating part for us: the game is there and we have to sit on it for a little bit and figure out what the best way is to get it to our fans.”
The Last of Us 2might end up being released initially as a digital-only title. It may be delayed to the point that it’s aPS5 launch title. All options are on the table and clearly there are a lot of variables to consider. Fans will just have to be patient.
The Last of Us 2is coming to PS4 but is delayed indefinitely.
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