Naughty Dog has acknowledged the recent spate of The Last of Us Part 1 leaks, calling them “disheartening and frustrating” for developers.
A number of leaks have poured online this week, including gameplay footage, screenshots, as well as details on the game’s accessibility features and controller layout.
Today, Naughty Dog also released their own breakdown of what we can expect to see when the game launches for PlayStation 5, which you can check out below.
The Last of Us Part 1 Features and Gameplay Trailer (PS5).
“Leaks are pretty cool,” wrote Naughty Dog VP Arne Meyer. “Esp when we’re right on the cusp of an asset slump. It’s disheartening and frustrating for teams that have put their hearts into doing amazing things for our fans.”
Leaks are very cool. Esp when we are right on the cusp of an asset crash. It’s disheartening and frustrating for teams that have put their hearts into doing amazing things for our fans.
That said, here’s a deep dive into what’s new in The Last of Us Part I, including some gameplay https://t.co/BxTnroMeWe
— arne (@arnemeyer) July 22, 2022 To view this content, please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings
This was echoed by the studio’s senior editor, Samuel Prince.
“[Leaks are] extremely damaging to the developers who work tirelessly to bring you these wonderful games,” said Prince, noting that the gameplay mechanics of The Last of Us Part 1 have been completely rebuilt.
“Public assets take a long time to create, review, approve, locate, legally clear, ESRB, etc. Be nice!”
Since this is getting some attention, I just want to say that the leaks are bullshit. They are extremely detrimental to the developers who work tirelessly to bring you these wonderful games. Public assets take a long time to create, review, approve, locate, legally clear, ESRB, etc. Be kind!
— Wholesome Sammy P 💙 (@Samuel_Prince) July 21, 2022 To view this content, please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings
Meanwhile, Druckmann has also had his say, albeit in a less direct way. When asked to see the game’s trophy list, co-chairman Neil Druckmann replied: “I’m sure it will leak in a minute.”
I’m sure it will leak in a minute. 😘
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) July 22, 2022 To view this content, please enable targeting cookies. Manage cookie settings
While we’ll never know if we’d have gotten this latest trailer today had it not been for the leaks, it’s clear that these trailers take a while to put together and would have been out in the open anyway.
Today’s trailer sees Druckmann, game director Matthew Gallant, and creative director Shaun Escayg host a 10-minute deep dive into The Last of Us Part 1. They cover many different angles, detailing how haptic feedback will work in the game (including -from how he’ll react to quieter moments in the narrative, such as when Joel and Ellie encounter the giraffe) to new character facial nuances and the game’s more sophisticated AI technology.
We also get an official look at some of The Last of Us Part 1’s accessibility options, including an audio description setting, apparently a first for a game on PlayStation. “We really tried to push the boundaries of accessibility in this game,” says Gallant.
In the meantime, for a full breakdown of what you can expect from each edition of The Last of Us Part 1, you can check out our coverage here.