Naughty Dog, a highly respected video game developer, has achieved remarkable success both within and beyond the gaming world. Not only have they created critically acclaimed games, but they’ve also successfully adapted their flagship series, The Last of Us, into an award-winning HBO series. This success is partly due to series creator Neil Druckmann’s heavy involvement in the show’s production, from writing to directing. The second season, adapting the controversial The Last of Us Part 2, is expected to premiere sometime this spring.
While The Last of Us Part 1 (2013) received widespread acclaim, its sequel, The Last of Us Part 2, was met with a more divided reception. Despite being a commercial success and earning numerous accolades, including Game of the Year in 2020, the game sparked heated debate among fans. This controversy stemmed from significant narrative choices, particularly early in the game, and the decision to make players control an antagonist they were previously conditioned to despise. This has led many to criticize the game, but Kanye West is not among them.
Kanye West recently shared on his Instagram story (via realradec on X) that he’s currently playing The Last of Us Part 2 on Survivor difficulty, one of the game’s hardest modes. This challenging mode limits resources, increases enemy damage, and amplifies the overall difficulty. West acknowledged spending an entire day on a single level due to the increased challenge. Despite the difficulty, he proclaimed The Last of Us Part 2 to be “by far the best game ever made so far,” high praise considering the game’s divisive nature among fans. Given the chosen difficulty, this likely isn’t West’s first playthrough, as such a challenge requires considerable game knowledge.
alt text: Kanye West playing The Last of Us Part 2
West has expressed interest in the gaming industry before, announcing a game called Only One in 2015. This game, which featured players ascending through Heaven as his late mother, Donda, never materialized, and its current status remains unknown. It’s likely canceled, but further details are scarce unless West provides updates. He also once tweeted about wanting to meet Hideo Kojima in New York, though the outcome of that interaction remains unclear.
It will be intriguing to see how fans of the HBO series who haven’t played The Last of Us Part 2 react to the second season. While the show’s creators have mentioned some changes, many core plot points will likely remain intact due to their narrative significance. One of the most controversial moments occurs early in the game, raising the question of whether it will be featured in the first episode or built up to over several episodes. The second season will have fewer episodes than the first but will adapt the second game across multiple seasons.
Naughty Dog is currently developing a new IP titled Intergalactic but has confirmed The Last of Us Part 3 is also in development. Details about the third game are currently scarce, and its release timeline remains unknown. Known for their meticulous approach, Naughty Dog has reportedly been working on this new title for nearly five years without a release date announcement. Fans might have to wait until the PS6 for The Last of Us Part 3.
