Summary
- The Last of Us has experienced a surge in popularity and has multiple upcoming projects, but crossovers between them need to be carefully handled for narrative integrity.
- The Last of Us multiplayer and the HBO show are currently facing issues, but they are expected to release eventually due to the franchise's importance to PlayStation.
- If The Last of Us multiplayer is to include crossovers, they should be meaningful and integrated into the game's world and story, going beyond mere cosmetic additions.
Having just turned 10 years old, The Last of Us finds itself in an incredibly fortunate spot, being more popular than it ever has been before. While The Last of Us made an immediate and gigantic impact on the gaming industry back in 2013, its fanbase has only continued to grow since then, with this year marking a particularly incredible year for the franchise, with The Last of Us HBO show bringing in more fans than Naughty Dog probably ever thought was possible.
With such momentum behind it, it's only natural that The Last of Us shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, with at least two big projects on the horizon, and potentially even more in the pipeline that haven't been announced just yet. But while it would be great to see more synergy between all of its upcoming projects, any crossovers in future Last of Us media need to be handled very carefully.
The Last of Us Needs to Make Its Crossovers Count
There are currently two big Last of Us projects officially in the works, those being the Last of Us multiplayer game, and the second season of the HBO show. Right now, both are in a little trouble behind the scenes. On The Last of Us multiplayer's side, there are apparently some issues relating to the game's live-service approach, with Bungie reportedly being tasked by PlayStation to assess and resolve the situation. The Last of Us Season 2 is also struggling at the minute, with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes delaying the show's production significantly.
But while both projects may be undergoing some issues, both are almost guaranteed to eventually see the light of day, with The Last of Us being one of PlayStation's biggest IPs at the minute. When these projects are finally released, it seems likely that PlayStation will want to connect the two in some way, as general rules of brand synergy would dictate. But any crossovers between these upcoming Last of Us projects - and those that came before them - need to be handled with a great deal of care.
With The Last of Us multiplayer presumably being a live-service game, it naturally lends itself to a number of crossovers with previous or future Last of Us installments. The easiest form of crossover in this scenario would be cosmetics based on fan-favorite characters from both the past games and the ongoing show, such as Joel's winter jacket, or Ellie's red sunset t-shirt. But while those cosmetics would act as fun references, The Last of Us multiplayer shouldn't just add them for the sake of it, but instead incorporate them into the game's world and story.
If The Last of Us multiplayer is going to crossover with other Last of Us projects, then those crossovers need to hold some narrative weight, or else it could feel a little cheap. It's not enough for players to just find iconic pieces of clothing lying around the map randomly, they instead need to be integrated within the game naturally, such as having players visit a location where Joel and Ellie have previously stayed. If The Last of Us multiplayer really wanted to go above and beyond then it could even include a cameo of the post-apocalyptic duo, giving players something much more than just a cosmetic. Any potential The Last of Us crossover needs to make logical sense within the world of the game, and it needs to reward the player with more than just a fleeting moment of fan service.