‘The Last Of Us’ season two inspired millions to try out the video game

The second season of HBO’s The Last Of Us might have divided the fanbase but it has inspired millions of people to try out the hit video game.

• READ MORE: ‘The Last Of Us’ season two review: heartbreakingly brilliant apocalypse drama

Following on from the critically acclaimed first season, the second season of HBO’s The Last Of Us premiered earlier this year. Taking heavy inspiration from the first portion of 2020’s The Last Of Us Part 2 video game, some fans found the pacing of the show too quick, especially with two more seasons still to come. Others took issue with various changes HBO made from the video game, while some viewers complained that the negativity from gaming fans was ruining the show.

Shortly after the season two finale was broadcast, it was reported viewership was down 55 per cent compared to the first season with 3.7million people watching it live. 

However, insights & analytics leader Chris Columbo has reported that more than two million copies of The Last Of Us Part 2 were sold following the season two premiere. “It wasn’t just a hit. It was an ecosystem. Over seven episodes, it generated measurable cultural currency and commercial lift — across platforms, markets, and talent. We mapped the ripple effect,” he explained on Linkedin.

A remastered version of The Last Of Us Part 2 was released for PC earlier this year, but according to gaming youTuber DomTheBomb, the PS5 version of the game has also been selling well.

Following the release of The Last of Us HBO Season 2:

– The Last of Us Part 2 sold over 2 million new copies during S2
– Currently The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is #1 most sold game on Amazon for PS5
– Currently The Last of Us Part 1 is #4 most sold game on Amazon for PS5 pic.twitter.com/u32tmpUqrY

— DomTheBomb (@DomTheBombYT) June 9, 2025

Speaking about the reaction to season two, The Last Of Us showrunner Craig Mazin said it came with “a lot of expectations”.

“You do feel pressure to somehow fulfill what people want but also surprise them,” he said in an interview with Variety. “You’re now a topic of discussion, whereas before you were just new and surprising. I mean, the bar for video game adaptations was pretty low. We had that going for us in season one — now we kind of fucked ourselves.”

Earlier this year, co-creator Neil Druckmann said a third The Last Of Us game could still happen, despite previously shutting down rumours of a sequel. “​​While I am the caretaker of this franchise, it’s important to me that everything is high quality. I don’t just want to make a lot of it, I want to be very thoughtful about everything we make,” he explained.

“If we were ever to come back to it, I want to make sure that it’s a story worthy of The Last Of Us. And I love that world, I love these characters. With the right opportunity, the right idea, I would totally jump at it.”

In other news, Mads Mikkelsen has revived his iconic James Bond baddie Le Chiffre for a limited-time event in Hitman: World Of Assassination.

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