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Sony Delays The Last of Us Part II – Is Ghost of Tsushima Next?

Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:46 PM
Thomas Bardwell
Last Updated September 23, 2020 1:46 PM
  • SIE has announced that it is delaying The Last of Us Part II.
  • Sony and Naughty Dog point to logistical hurdles linked to the coronavirus pandemic as the reason for the decision.
  • There is currently no alternative release date.

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced today that it is delaying the launch of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II. The highly-anticipated PlayStation 4 exclusive was due to release on May 29.

The Last of Us Part II & Marvel’s Iron Man VR Delayed

the last of us part ii delay
We knew this day was coming, no matter what Sony said last week. | Source: Sony 

In a tweet sharing the news, Sony cites logistical issues caused by the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic as the reason behind the decision .

Sony notes that the current situation prevents “the launch experience our players deserve”:

Unsurprisingly, Sony Delays the Launch of The Last of Us Part II
Source: Twitter 

Sony announced that it was delaying the release of Marvel’s Iron Man VR too.

Alongside Sony’s statement, developer Naughty Dog provided added context for the delay. 

We are in the midst of fixing our final bugs. However, even with us finishing the game, we were faced with the reality that due to logistics beyond our control, we couldn’t launch The Last of Us Part II to our satisfaction.

We want to make sure everyone gets to play The Last of Us Part II around the same time, ensuring that we’re doing everything possible to preserve the best experience for everyone. This meant delaying the game until such a time where we can solve these logistics issues.

Unsurprisingly, Sony Delays the Launch of The Last of Us Part II
Source: Twitter 

What About Ghost of Tsushima & Other PS4 Exclusives?

Last week, Sony penned a press release stating that it did not foresee any delays to games from first-party and partner studios, but that it wasn’t discounting unforeseen obstacles. Any issues would put The Last of Us Part II in the firing line.

Less than a week later, it appears these obstacles have materialized. This jeopardizes the release of other upcoming PlayStation exclusives, most notably Ghost of Tsushima, which is slated for release on June 26.

Presumably to pre-empt concerns, Sony says that “there are no other delays to report,” but that it will keep would-be players updated of any changes to existing plans.

Alternative Release Date

As for when we can expect The Last of Us Part II to launch, neither Sony nor Naughty Dog hinted at when this might be. Naughty Dog hopes to keep the delay to a minimum, but the lack of an alternative date doesn’t bode well.

This may simply be a precautionary tactic to manage expectations. Yet we may be looking at a substantial delay that is likely to hinge on the evolution of the global coronavirus crisis.