Following a swirl of reports earlier this year suggesting a new version of The Last of Us Part 2 was in the works, Naughty Dog has confirmed a remaster of its survival horror sequel – promising “technological improvements, new modes, and new behind-the-scenes features” – will launch for PlayStation 5 on 19th January 2024.
The Last of Us composer Gustavo Santaolalla made comments about “new editions” of The Last of Us Part 2 in July, and a Naughty Dog developer referenced a “remastered” version on LinkedIn in October. A recent PlayStation database sighting all but gave the game away, but now it’s official, with Naughty Dog sharing the news in a post on the PlayStation Blog.
The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is a native PlayStation 5 version of the 2020 PS4 original promising various visual enhancements, including increased level-of-detail distances, improved shadow quality, better animation sampling rates, and more. It’ll feature two graphics modes – Fidelity and Performance, running at 4K and 1440p upscaled to 4K respectively – as well as an unlocked framerate option for VRR TVs.
There’s also talk of improved loading times, support for haptic feedback and adaptive triggers via the DualSense controller, plus Photo Mode enhancements (including unlockable bonus skins for Ellie, Abby, and their weapons) based on features seen in The Last of Us Part 1. Additionally, Part 2 Remastered adds a number of accessibility options to complement those in the original, including Descriptive Audio and Speech to Vibrations.