The Last of Us Remake – Redundant?

According to a Bloomberg story that released on Friday, April 9th, a Last of Us remake for PS5 is in development at Naughty Dog.

For those who are unaware, The Last of Us originally released on the PS3 in 2013, then was remastered for the PS4 in 2014. Now, seven years later, the game is reportedly being remade for the PS5. This information came in tandem with Bend Studios reportedly being denied an opportunity to pursue a sequel to to their survival-horror game Days Gone. Instead, Bend Studios was positioned to assist Naughty Dog in their remake of Last of Us, which, again, was already re-released in 2014. This decision comes from a reported obsession that Playstation executives have with churning out sure-fire mega-hits instead of riskier endeavors.

This could create a problem for the industry. There is already an over-emphasis on re-releases and remasters in general. Some games are understandably remade and remastered to either given them a second chance on a console (i.e. anything re-released from the WiiU era), or because a long-lost game was so beloved that there was an intrinsic obligation to bring it back (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, Spyro). The alleged Last of Us remake fits neither of those boxes, and is simply, in my unprofessional opinion, a cash-grab driven by fear of breaking the mold and trying something new. While Bloomberg reports that another Uncharted game is in development by Naughty Dog as well, I would prefer Bend Studios have the opportunity to take on their own endeavor rather than waste talent on a PS5 remake of an already polished and quality game, even by PS5’s standards.

Sony is able to consistently put out high quality, thoughtful, engaging experiences, but at what cost? Just because Days Gone isn’t a 10 million + seller, doesn’t mean it’s worth any less as an experience. In the shadow of behemoths like Uncharted, The Last of Us, and God of War, there should always be space for more niche titles like Days Gone. As Microsoft makes room for Ori and Recore, and Nintendo makes room for Pikmin and Fire Emblem, Sony should make some room too. What do you think? Would you purchase The Last of Us Remake on the PS5?