Despite not receiving a definite release date, PlayStation presentation of gameplay from The Last of Us 2 was one of the most discussed moments of its E3 2018 press conference. The gameplay trailer showcases Ellie dancing and kissing another woman at a serene party before shifting to more brutal and violent scenes of Ellie killing several enemies. There was no sign of the first game’s protagonist Joel in the trailer and Ellie could be the only playable character in the upcoming game.
According to creative director Neil Druckmann, Ellie would be the only playable character in The Last of Us 2. That seemed to be the definitive answer. However, new information has recently come to light in an interview between French publication JeuxActu and Naughty Dog co-lead designer Emilia Schatz. The most interesting detail in the 11-minute long session was when Schatz hinted that there might be more playable characters besides Ellie.
The Last of Us 2: Is Joel Coming Back?
She said: “At this point, we’re just ready to show Ellie as a playable character.” That sentence alone indicates that Ellie might not be the only playable character in the game. She continued: “That may change in the future, but we’re not really ready to talk about that just yet. I think there is quite a lot about this game that has not yet been revealed.” It’s understandable that Naughty Dog wouldn’t want to reveal every single detail about the game just yet, especially when the developer hasn’t even revealed a release window or release date yet.
Interestingly, Naughty Dog said the same thing about the first game when it came out in 2013 on the PS3. Imagine the pleasant surprise of gamers everywhere when they were able to play as Ellie in short bursts too. With the highly-anticipated The Last of Us sequel not releasing anytime soon. there’s still plenty of time for the developer to reveal more details about the game and keep the hype alive as we get closer to its eventual release. I don’t know if my heart can take seeing Joel still fighting to survive in his older and frailer state, but I still want it.
