In terms of pre-orders, The Last of Us Part II is outpacing Marvel's Spider-Man at the same point in its pre-release cycle. When developer Naughty Dog releases a new game, the industry stops to take notice. From their days pumping out Crash Bandicoot titles for the original PlayStation to juggernaut releases like Uncharted 4, Naughty Dog is one of the most prestigious teams in the industry today. Though all eyes are looking ahead to the launch of the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, current-gen players still have a lot to look forward to, including high-profile exclusive titles like Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II.
The latest game from Naughty Dog is due out on June 19, exclusively for PlayStation 4. The original 2013 The Last of Us was praised by critics and audiences for its mature storytelling and brutal survival horror sensibilities, combining cutting-edge motion-capture animation with top-notch writing set against a post-apocalyptic zombie backdrop. Hopes are high the sequel could be even better than the original, and even Coronavirus-inspired delays and accusations of unethical crunch can slow the momentum of the PlayStation 4 exclusive juggernaut.
A recent CNET report about the current state of PlayStation revealed some new information about The Last of Us Part II that indicates it will likely be another massive hit for the PlayStation 4. According to the report, pre-orders for the game in Europe are outpacing those for Spider-Man at the same point leading up to release. Marvel's Spider-Man became one of the best selling PlayStation exclusives ever, selling over 13 million units as of August 2019. If the comparison is the same across the board, The Last of Us Part II could be just as big a hit as Insomniac's Marvel magnum opus.
It's difficult to make a direct comparison between The Last of Us Part II and Marvel's Spider-Man. Insomniac's superhero game was rated T for Teen, widening the games appear to include young children. Meanwhile, The Last of Us Part II is rated M for Mature and marketing for the Naughty Dog title has emphasized the brutal and realistic depictions of violence in the game, indicating to parents and more sensitive players that this is not a "four-quadrant" experience.
There's something to be said for the power of video games to champion big-budget productions that deal with more extreme subject matter. The film industry has come under fire for shifting its focus towards family-friendly superhero fare while largely abandoning more adult themes. It's ironic, then, that The Last of Us Part II is shaping up to be an even bigger hit than Spider-Man, a video game ostensibly based on the current biggest trend in cinema.
Source: CNET