In an announcement on Twitter today, Sony Interactive Entertainment revealed that The Last of Us: Part II and Marvel’s Iron Man VR are now delayed indefinitely.
The news comes in response to the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that has had substantial impacts on the entertainment and manufacturing industries over the past few months, and Sony seems to feel that the games deserve a much broader and more eventful launch.
You can view their full statement below:
Update: SIE has made the difficult decision to delay the launch of The Last of Us Part II and Marvel's Iron Man VR until further notice. Logistically, the global crisis is preventing us from providing the launch experience our players deserve.
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) April 2, 2020
The Last of Us: Part II received an original launch date of February 21st, 2020 before quickly getting delayed to May 29th, so this postponement hits even harder for those who have already waited so long to get their hands on developer Naughty Dog’s sequel to their 2013 masterpiece. Even more unfortunate is the fact that this time of crisis and self-isolation would’ve been the ideal time for fans to get wrapped up in such a compelling tale.
Naughty Dog’s second entry in the franchise focuses on Ellie five years after the events of the first game as she sets out to enact vengeance on a mysterious cult known as the Seraphites. While it hasn’t been revealed why she’s looking for justice, it’s obviously safe to assume that it’s very personal. The Last of Us‘ main protagonist, Joel, also returns in a support role in the game, though early footage seems to indicate a stressed relationship between the two.
Of course, HBO is also currently developing a television show adaptation of The Last of Us with Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog’s own creative director Neil Druckmann. Details are scarce, but Druckmann’s confirmed that it will follow the same plot as the game and that most of its characters will make an appearance, though the show may introduce some brand new faces as well.
