It has been revealed that the first episode of the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us saw a viewership boost of 10% over the first season. In a report, it was mentioned that 5.3 million same-day US cross-platform viewers were recorded, which is up 10% from the 4.7 million viewers who tuned into the first episode in 2023.
The first season went on to be the largest audience for an HBO debut season ever, so the running expectation is that the second season of The Last of Us will go even further.
Return of the Apocalypse
The Last of Us is one of the most iconic post-apocalyptic franchises in gaming history. It emerged in 2013 as a single-player, narrative-driven title from Naughty Dog, the creators of Uncharted. It turned heads back then on the PlayStation 3, and it continues to do so today.
In 2020, Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part II, which is the game that season two of the HBO live-action adaptation is centered on. The first season covered the events of the first game, but the second game is heftier and will take multiple seasons to cover in full.
In a recent report from Deadline, more viewers have tuned into the second season than the first – 10% more, in fact.
It’s indicative of the growing popularity of the series, which has an uncertain future at Naughty Dog. It was suggested by Neil Druckmann, the franchise’s creator, that there won’t be another game, but he later backtracked on those comments.
The television series has drawn unfortunate criticism, mostly aimed at Bella Ramsay, who plays the lead role of Ellie Williams. It has long been said that they’re not the best representation of the character, and their youthful appearance isn’t accurate compared to the game character that they’re based on.
It’s a sticking point, but viewership is up, and that’s all HBO really cares about.
Taking advantage of the popularity of the show, Naughty Dog recently released The Last of Us Complete, a special edition that is comprised of both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II, exclusively on PS5.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the news that the Oblivion Remake is coming next week, it’s claimed
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
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