The Last of Us has been a hot topic recently, with rumors of an impending announcement of the sequel and news that the film adaptation is on hold indefinitely. Several unofficial confirmations of a sequel to the post-apocalyptic game have slipped over the past couple of years from Naughty Dog staff, to voice actors, and even promises from unnamed sources on Internet forums.

While Naughty Dog did take home a few trophies at this year's Game Awards, many fans were wondering if they would use the PlayStation Experience event as a launching pad or if a big announcement would be pushed until E3. The exclusive PlayStation Experience 2016 hosted several panels and displayed over 100 playable games for fans to try at various gaming stations throughout the convention center. After years of playing coy with fans and industry insiders, it looks like all of the sequel rumors have finally been confirmed.

PlayStation and Naughty Dog did what few thought they would -- announcing both the new Uncharted 4 single player DLC and confirming the sequel to The Last of Us. Revealed at their PlayStation Event earlier today, fans now have an emotionally charged trailer that sets up this highly anticipated sequel. The Last of Us: Part II, as it is titled, is still in the early days of the project according to Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckmann. Talking to fans on the PlayStation blog, he adds:

"I can’t tell you how satisfying it is to finally be able to say that Ellie and Joel are back for another intense, harrowing, and emotional adventure. Like many of you, we have a deep love for the world of The Last of Us and its characters, and while a sequel may have seemed like a foregone conclusion, that wasn’t the case. We knew that it needed to be a story worth telling and, perhaps more importantly, a story worthy of Joel and Ellie."

Opening to cars and streets that have been overtaken by nature, the reveal trailer's soundtrack is Ellie singing an acoustic variant of the 23rd Psalm as she strums a guitar. The camera pans over several dead bodies, giving no indication as to which faction (Fireflies, bandits, or a new group) they belong. The trailer does not provide any details as to what the story could be, but Ellie's words do intimate that she's got revenge on the brain. "I'm gonna find, and I'm gonna kill, every last one of them," Ellie says when Joel asks if she's really going to go through with her plan.

Druckmann goes on to say that finding just the right story that would add to both Joel and Ellie's journey was a challenge that seemed insurmountable at times. In an effort to taper fan expectation on the release timeline, he also says, "the game's release is a ways off," implying that it is still in the very early stages. The first game was released in 2013 to rave reviews from critics and players alike, and the confirmation of a follow-up has been well received.

Both Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson are reprising their voice acting roles as the two leads.

The Last of Us: Part 2 does not yet have a release date.

Source: PlayStation