"The Last of Us Part 2: The Bloodborne-Inspired Open World Origins"

The Last of Us Part 2 was initially conceived as an open-world game heavily inspired by Bloodborne, with a focus on melee combat and expansive exploration, but this direction was ultimately dialed back as it didn't align with the story Naughty Dog wanted to tell. Co-president Neil Druckmann has hinted at a concept for a third and final chapter of The Last of Us series, while voice actor Laura Bailey revealed receiving abusive messages and death threats, including threats directed at her infant son, following the game's release.