The Last of Us Part 1 Made a Massive Comeback It Didn’t Even Need All Thanks to PlayStation’s Game Pass Rival

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The Last of Us Part 1 Made a Massive Comeback It Didn’t Even Need All Thanks to PlayStation’s Game Pass Rival

In PlayStation’s now growing-like-a-plague lineup of remakes and remasters, The Last of Us Part 1 was the first to stick out like a sore thumb. Many were skeptical of it, questioning if the PS3 game needed a remake so soon after its remastered version. But, they ultimately accepted it because of what it promised: an added emotional weight with improved character models.

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Ellie and Joel’s confrontation in The Last of Us Part 1 – Image Credit: Naughty Dog.

Despite the initial acceptance, however, the game’s sales told a different story, and it continued to struggle in its home market. Well, that is until the game was finally added to PlayStation Plus, following which, it shot up the charts, becoming one of the most-played titles on the service.

The Last of Us Part 1 Has Received a New Lease on Life Thanks to PlayStation Plus Extra

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Ellie in Salt Lake City in The Last of Us Part 1 – Image Credit: Naughty Dog.

So, why did players warm up to this remake despite all the confusion? The answer ***** in the game’s meticulous redesign of character models and facial expressions, which gave the story’s emotional beats more depth.

In a game so focused on its characters, these improvements made perfect sense. Every expression, every moment between Joel and Ellie, felt more natural, allowing players to experience the story like never before.

But, circling back to what happened, though, to counter the poor sales and further boost its player numbers, Sony decided to pull a rather clever move – the way it always does.

So, on September 26, 2024—The Last of Us Day—the game was made available for free through PlayStation Plus Extra, and the impact was about as immediate and massive as you’d expect.

Within days, the game became the third most-played PS Plus Extra game of 2024 and the ninth overall in the service’s history, with the subscription bringing nearly 1225% more PS5 players to the game.

The Last of Us Part I player count jumps 1225% after coming to PlayStation Plus

That make TLOU the third-biggest debut on PS Plus Extra this year and a top ten biggest games to ever hit the service

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If the objective was to attract more players through the service, the move was a monumental success in every sense of the word.

Huh – as it turns out, everyone was actually super eager to ***** back into this world but also savvy enough to wait for its inclusion on PlayStation Plus rather than pay that hefty $70 price upfront. Take notes on that, Sony.

The First Game’s Inclusion Wasn’t the Only Thing Naughty Dog Has in Store for the Series’ Fans

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The first appearance of the Bloaters in The Last of Us Part 1 – Image Credit: Naughty Dog.

Part I wasn’t the only thing Naughty Dog had up its sleeve for this year’s celebration. Alongside the game’s inclusion on the PS Plus, people were treated with the first sneak peek of Season 2 of the HBO adaptation.

Not only that, but new merchandise collaborations, including detailed Youtooz figures, the Seraphite jacket replica, and a limited-edition print from Gallery Nucleus, were also announced for grabs.

Meanwhile, new The Last of Us-themed assets, including animated stickers and a unique startup movie for the Steam Deck homegrown by studio’s Graphic Designer, Jason Ferry, were also made available on Steam.

While all of this is undoubtedly exciting, it would’ve been nice to get a better idea of what new stories are in store for this apocalyptic world.

Druckmann has already hinted at a few ideas for a third game, but it ******** to be seen when said ideas will actually take a concrete form. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait as long between the first two games to receive an answer.

But with all that said, what are your thoughts on the game ********* up the PlayStation Plus charts? Did you buy the remake when it first came out? Let us know in the comments below!