What is The Last of Us Part 2 release date?

When will you be able to return to the world of The Last of Us?

Promotional artwork of Ellie and Abby for The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
Image via Naughty Dog

In November 2023, Naughty Dog revealed it will soon be releasing a brand-new version of The Last of Part 2—first released on June 19, 2020— in 2024; complete with new features and content to justify double dipping if you already own the original.

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With this in mind, we are going to be looking at when exactly The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered will be coming out, as well as what new features you can expect to enjoy from this shiny new take on the infamous sequel. 

When does The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered release?

An in game screenshot of Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
Ellie is back on January 19th in glorious high definition. Image via Naughty Dog.

The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered releases on Jan. 19, 2024, three and a half years after the game first came out. This is a short amount of time between the original release and the remaster, especially considering a great deal of remastered games we see nowadays come many years after the original version.

However, the new generation of consoles came out just after The Last of Us Part 2 did—in November 2020—so it makes sense a completely upgraded version of the game has arrived so quickly; Naughty Dog was likely already planning on bringing out a next-gen console version as soon as it was first released.

You can start preloading the remaster if you’ve pre-ordered it, and those who already own the original PS4 version can upgrade to the PS5 version for $10. So, no, you don’t have to spend another $60 just to enjoy the improvements and new additions. 

What are the most noteworthy improvements in The Last of Us Part 2 remastered?

If you’re thinking of playing the remastered sequel when it releases, you’ll probably want to know a little bit more about what to expect from it. Let’s take a look at the new features and content in a little more detail. 

Visuals and technical features

An in game screenshot of a Clicker in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
Oh boy, here come the Clicker nightmares again. Image via Naughty Dog.

The 1440p from the initial PS4 release has been upgraded to 4K. This includes a native 4K output in Fidelity Mode and Performance Mode. There is also an Unlocked Framerate option available for televisions that can support VRR.

Load times are speedier too, and new accessibility features have been added, such as a Descriptive Audio and Speech to Vibrations feature.

Roguelike mode

An in game screenshot of The Rat King in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
It’s fine, I wasn’t planning on sleeping tonight anyway. Image via Naughty Dog.

The roguelike mode included in the remastered version of The Last of Us Part 2 is called No Return and is a brand-new survival mode where you have to fight off enemies as long as you can. You will experience a random series of encounters with different enemies and in different locations. 

New content and gameplay

An in game screenshot of Joel in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered
Guitar Free Play mode is a new addition to the remastered version of The Last of Us Part 2. Image via Naughty Dog.

There are three new “Lost Levels” in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered with never-before-seen content, as well as tons of new developer commentary so fans can get a more in-depth look at how the game came to be. There are also new gameplay elements included in the remaster, such as the Guitar Free Play mode and the Speedrun mode.

Author
Image of Antonia Haynes
Antonia Haynes
Antonia Haynes is a freelance general gaming writer for Dot Esports who resides in a small seaside town in England where she has lived her whole life. Beginning her video game writing career back in 2014, and having an avid love of gaming since childhood, she became a staff writer in 2018 before becoming freelance in 2023 with her role at Dot Esports. Her ideal day would consist of junk food, fluffy pyjamas and video games because quite frankly going outside is overrated.
Author
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Michael Beckwith
Staff writer at Dot Esports covering all kinds of gaming news. A graduate in Computer Games Design and Creative Writing from Brunel University who's been writing about games since 2014. Nintendo fan and Sonic the Hedgehog apologist. Knows a worrying amount of Kingdom Hearts lore. Has previously written for Metro, TechRadar, and Game Rant.