According to UK sales charts, The Last of Us Remastered has enjoyed a sales spike alongside the release of its critically-acclaimed sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Sony developer Naughty Dog has another hit on its hands with The Last of Us Part 2, the acclaimed studio's latest title. Part 2 arrives seven years after the initial PS3 release of The Last of Us, and sees protagonist Ellie embark on another gruesome adventure across post-apocalyptic America, fighting against raider gangs and zombie abominations on a harrowing quest for revenge.

As expected, The Last of Us Part 2 has proven to be a major critical and commercial hit for the studio. The long-awaited game sold over four million copies in just three days, becoming the fastest-selling first-party PS4 exclusive ever published. Critics have praised the game for its incredible visuals, heartfelt storytelling, and award-worthy acting, while fans have taken to its stealth/action gameplay and rich worldbuilding. An outspoken minority of players have complained about the sexual themes of the game, but the controversy driven by half-cocked "boycott" movements have only drummed up publicity for Naughty Dog's latest, thus leading to even stronger sales.

While The Last of Us Part 2 is selling in record-breaking numbers, the original The Last of Us is also enjoying a spike in sales, as reported by Gamesindustry.biz. According to the UK sales charts, The Last of Us Remastered for PlayStation 4 was the 9th best selling game in the UK this week, with an 82 percent increase in sales over last week. Of course, the best-selling title was The Last of Us Part 2, marking its second week on top of the charts.


The Last of Us and its sequel are two sides of the same coin, and both draw meaning and thematic resonance from each other. Through shocking violence, tender moments of serenity, and a grounded realism, the games each tell stories of love, hate, redemption, and futility. The recent spike in sales of the first game is a testament to Naughty Dog's storytelling prowess, since the sequel is best enjoyed with the original fresh in the minds of players.

In a summer devoid of the blockbuster films that traditionally define the season, The Last of Us Part 2 is one of the biggest entertainment events of the year, a cultural phenomenon on which everyone projects an opinion, whether or not they have any interest in playing the game. Now that the sequel has proven successful, it's safe to call The Last of Us a key franchise for Sony and Naughty Dog, and only time will tell where the series will go next.