Naughty Dog Fans Divided By Rumoured The Last Of Us Abby DLC
Someone hide the golf clubs. The latest Naughty Dog rumours claim The Last of Us Part II could be expanding its post-release content with a gritty DLC focussing on the hardened Abby. While last year's sequel to 2013's The Last of Us looked like it would once again send Ellie and Joel out into the expanding backdrop of the American apocalypse, players will know things didn't exactly play out that way. Emerging as the de facto villain/hero of the piece (depending on which way you look at it), Abby gave Ellie a run for her money and helped catapult the story forward.
As we wait for even the slightest hint that the mythical The Last of Us Part III could be on the way, Part II could be getting a new drop of content with an Abby DLC. Only recently, Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann teased "several cool things" from the acclaimed studio, which has quickly sent The Last of Us fandom into overdrive about what to expect. An update on the game's planned multiplayer, confirmation of its DLC, or even news on turning this survival horror into a trilogy for the ages. Do we have some exciting news on the horizon?
What's the rumour about The Last of Us getting an Abby DLC?
Posting on Twitter, one fan shared a "leaked" lineup of Naughty Dog's upcoming announcement(s). Alongside Uncharted finally coming to PC this year, there's a cross-gen The Last of Us Part II multiplayer, and a brand-new IP called Stray's Cross. The OG poster said they can at least vouch for Stray's Cross, but as for the rest, the jury is out. Following in the footsteps of The Last of Us: Left Behind continuing Ellie's story in 2013, it's easy to imagine an Abby-centric DLC.
Discussing the idea of continuing Abby's arc or fleshing out her backstory, one fan wrote, "I love abby, a lot, but i enjoyed ellie's gameplay way more. I won't say no to a DLC but... baby Ellie :(2". Someone else said, "Yesssss. I thought Abby and Lev finding the fireflies would have been a 3rd installment. But I'll take this. Abby won me over after that setpiece in the woods at night. Best setpieces in the game went to her. Hoping for more of those in this expansion".
However, not everyone wanted to play as Abby all over again. One critic grumbled, "They really gonna make us play as Abby again? The disconnect between studios and their fans is unreal. SMFH". Another added, "Why would I want an Abby expansion, bruh. I don’t care enough about that charcacter to buy a dlc specifically for her". A third mused something completely different and concluded, "Abby Expansion? They should let people play as Joel before the events of TLOU2".
Of course, you might remember we had a Joel prequel in the form of the OG The Last of Us. Finally, someone suggested Naughty Dog release a DLC about Joel's younger brother, Tommy. Seeing the grizzled and one-eyed Tommy head out to kill the Infected sounds like a Walking Dead-inspired spin-off we could all get on board with.
Will we get a The Last of Us Abby DLC?
Abby was a divisive character to say the least. As well as bringing Ellie and Joel's relationship to a gruesome end, there were debates about whether the protein-jacked Abby deserved to be a playable character in the second half of the game. While Druckmann and co. tried to humanise Abby, not everyone was won over by her. At the end of the day, and Abby DLC would probably be as divisive as The Last of Us Part II.
In terms of the legitimacy of the "leak", it started doing the rounds on 4Chan - which should be a warning for us all. Added to this, Druckmann has previously said there would be no DLCs for The Last of Us Part II. We know multiplayer is on the way, but with COVID-19 presumably contributing to the delay, many think it will be released as its own standalone. It's important to remember that just because Drcukmann said no to DLCs last year, things could've changed. Given that the game's composer, Gustavo Santaolalla, said Part II is "just the beginning", fans are convinced there's more on the way. For now, let's stick a pin in the idea of The Last of Us Part II getting an Abby DLC. In the meantime, maybe she can practice her golf swing?
Stay up to date with all the latest esports and gaming news by checking out our social channels here: Twitter | Facebook | Discord
Images via Naughty Dog