Sony PlayStation's official Twitter account announced earlier today that The Last Of Us Part 2 has been delayed indefinitely, a decision that is also being applied to the development of Marvel's Iron Man VR. The announcement comes as something of a surprise given that The Last Of Us Part 2 had already been delayed once before during its development cycle, with many believing the delay to be for some final touches.
However, extenuating circumstances has been the name of the game for many companies in the video game industry in the wake of the continuing coronavirus pandemic, which has made launch dates, development, and team sizing sudden logistical issues for everyone. It's also causing issues on the sales side of things, with the Nintendo Switch becoming nearly impossible to find due to shortages in stock. On top of that, even digital downloads have been affected - though not as much as physical copies, with Square deciding to release Final Fantasy 7 Remake early in some regions in an effort to avoid consumers not getting the game on launch day.
With all of that in mind, it makes sense that The Last Of Us Part 2 is delayed indefinitely alongside another anticipated title in Marvel's Iron Man VR. Sony announced on the official PlayStation Twitter account that both titles would be delayed until further notice, citing the logistics of the global crisis being the major factor. The Last Of Us Part 2 delay is being done at least partially to ensure that the launch experience is up to standard, which indicates that the game is likely fine from a developmental standpoint.
The Last Of Us Part 2 delay has also already been addressed by Naughty Dog, which posted on its own official Twitter account to state that it was in the midst of "fixing [The Last Of Us Part 2's] final bugs" but felt that the launch of the game couldn't be done properly due to the current state of affairs in the industry. The game is being delayed indefinitely until a time where the company can "solve these logistic issues."
With more and more fans turning to video games as an escape - and the World Health Organization recommending the hobby as a healthy one during social distancing - it's incredibly disappointing to hear that The Last Of Us Part 2 is delayed indefinitely. With that said, however, it's important for developers and publishers to put the best interests of not just consumers, but staff, at heart - and it sounds like the decision was made deliberately slowly to weigh options before this delay was chosen as the best route forward. Without a doubt, The Last Of Us Part 2 and Marvel's Iron Man VR will be two major releases when they're finally available - fans will just have to wait and see when that will be.
The Last Of Us Part 2 and Marvel's Iron Man VR will launch on PlayStation 4, but have been delayed indefinitely.
Source: Sony PlayStation