Is The Last Of Us Part II Getting A PS5 Patch?
Ellie fetch your bow and arrow, is The Last of Us Part II preparing for a next-gen upgrade with a PS5 patch? In 2020, Naughty Dog unleashed the beast with the long-awaited sequel to 2013's The Last of Us. Continuing the story of survival for Ellie and Joel, the game took a jump into the future of this apocalyptic wasteland as the tattered remnants of the human race are forced to fight against each other, as well as the plague-ravaged zombies known as the Infected. While we hold out hope the story could continue in a possible The Last of Us Part III, Naughty Dog might not be done with Part II just yet.
While The Last of Us Part II fell into that awkward limbo between consoles, even its place at the end of the PS4's life cycle didn't stop it smashing the competition. Up there with 2019's Death Stranding and 2020's Ghost of Tsushima, the highly anticipated sequel proved that Sony still had plenty of life left in the PS4. However, with rumours Death Stranding will be getting a next-gen boost, the same source claims Naughty Dog could follow suit with The Last of Us Part II.
Is The Last Of Us Part II Getting A PS5 Patch?
The rumours of a The Last of Us Part II PS5 patch come via ResetEra from trusted leaker Navtra. First things first, ResetEra isn't exactly the most reliable source. That being said, Navtra's impressive track record saw them confirm the likes of Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Horizon Forbidden West, and Demon's Souls ahead of Sony's all-star PS5 showcase. When one fan asked if they should wait a while before buying The Last of Us Part II - questioning whether a next-gen version is on the way - Navtra replied saying, "I know a patch was in the work at some point but I'm not sure if it's still happening or when".
The idea that Naughty Dog WAS working on a patch isn't confirmation the developer still is, however, Navtra concluded, "I'd be surprised if it doesn't get a patch, though". A patch is all well and good, but it's hardly concrete evidence about what could be included. Is this a simple graphical upgrade to make the most of the PS5's next-gen capabilities, or are we in for something totally new like the next-gen version of GTA V is tipped to be? The Last of Us Remastered came just a year after the OG release, so it's not like Naughty Dog hasn't done this before. The problem is, The Last of Part II's freshman status in the video game world makes it a little harder to do much with.
Should The Last of Us Part II get a PS5 patch?
Following in the footsteps of tradition, The Last of Us Part II is primed and ready for a PS5. Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, and God of War were all given a glossy PS5 upgrade that allowed them to run a smooth 4K at 60 FPS. Even though the game currently plays perfectly fine via Sony's backward compatibility feature, we're missing out on 4K and raytracing that could be the cherry on The Last of Us Part II's already enticing cake. Added to this, a PS5 patch is the perfect way to expand the story with DLC content. Remembering how The Last of Us lived on past its original release with the Left Behind DLC, it's easy to imagine post-release content to flesh out some of the characters. Who wouldn't want a prequel focussing on Abby?
Looking at the rest of the bunch, we've already seen Ghost of Tsushima being praised as almost a totally new game on PS5. The question remains whether The Last of Us Part II should get a simple patch for the original, or be completely repackaged as a new game. If Naughty Dog wants to make a quick buck and follow in the footsteps of Insomniac bundling its remastered Spider-Man with Miles Morales, it could work. Then again, wouldn't players be peeved they're having to part with their cash so soon after The Last of Us Part II came out - especially considering it runs great on the PS5 as is?
For the time being, we're back to scouring the depths of ResetEra for any clues to what Naughty Dog is up to. Considering The Last of Us Part II is the fastest-selling PlayStation 4 exclusive and holds the record for the most Game of the Year awards ever, it would be a shame to leave this golden goose behind with the PS4. As with all these ifs and buts, it's a case of watch this space.
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