Google has a cheeky little easter egg for ‘The Last of Us’ fans

We might be a week away from a new episode of HBO’s The Last of Us, but Google is giving fans a way to connect to the post-outbreak-themed series with a unique and interactive experience. As gamers and entertainment lovers know, The Last of Us revolves around a mutating fungus and the jarring reality it creates for those fighting for survival.

If you do a quick Google search for The Last of Us, a mushroom appears at the bottom of your screen, and as the old saying goes, curiosity kills the cat. Fans of the series quickly clicked on the fungi and learned that it puts you dead center (some pun intended) in a fight of your own. The cute red pop-up invites you to click because no harm ever comes from embracing the unknown, right?

With each click of the mushroom, your screen gets taken over by a replicating virus ready to invade your brain — or at least your computer screen.

With a few more clicks, the fungus suddenly reveals itself as Cordyceps. You’d better hope you’re like Ellie in this situation because immunity seems to be the only option for survival.

Of course, if you want the less dramatic option, you can click on the red x near the mushroom, and your screen is given a quick escape from the infection, and suddenly, it’s like you never met with the fungus, to begin with. Of course, the characters in The Last of Us aren’t as lucky to be able to press a button and reset everything around them quickly.

If you’ve not yet played the game or watched the two available episodes of The Last of Us, this might be motivation enough to dive in finally — and trust us; you won’t be disappointed. The series is sweeping audiences around the world and quickly becoming a pop culture sensation.