Development of The Last of Us (video game)

Lore & Background

Naughty Dog began developing The Last of Us in 2009, after the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves. The company split into two teams for the first time, with one working on Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception. An early attempt at a dual-team setup around Uncharted: Drake's Fortune had failed due to insufficient resources. The team initially considered a new Jak and Daxter entry but decided to create an original intellectual property after discussions with co-president Evan Wells. Bruce Straley, who joined Naughty Dog in March 1999, was selected as game director, and Neil Druckmann, an employee since 2004, became creative director about a year into production.

The story originated from Druckmann's 2003 sketches about a man and his surrogate daughter. An early concept called Mankind, where the infection only spread to women, was scrapped after female employees voiced concerns that it was misogynistic. The Infected were inspired by a BBC Planet Earth segment on Cordyceps fungi. The team focused on the relationship between Joel and Ellie, with all other elements developed around it. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson provided voice and motion capture for Joel and Ellie, respectively, and helped refine the story and characters.

Naughty Dog overhauled their game engine for lighting and animations. The sound department worked early on the sounds of the Infected, and the art department's designs influenced other development elements. The game was officially announced in 2011, delayed for further polishing, and marketed through video trailers and press demonstrations. Various special editions and a comic book featuring game characters were released.

Reader's Guide

The development of The Last of Us marked a significant shift for Naughty Dog, as the studio successfully implemented a two-team structure for the first time. The game's focus on character-driven narrative, particularly the relationship between Joel and Ellie, set a new standard for storytelling in video games. The decision to use voice and motion capture actors Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson to help develop the characters and refine the story was innovative. The minimalist approach to music by Gustavo Santaolalla, sound design, and art design created a cohesive and immersive experience. The game's exploration of the Cordyceps fungus infecting humans, inspired by a BBC documentary, offered a unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre. The development process, including the scrapping of the Mankind concept due to internal concerns about misogyny, demonstrated Naughty Dog's commitment to thoughtful narrative design. The Last of Us became a critical and commercial success, influencing subsequent games in its emphasis on emotional depth and character development.

Did You Know?

• The game's development began in 2009 under the codename 'Project Thing' or 'T1'.
• Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson provided both voice and motion capture for Joel and Ellie, and helped develop the characters and refine the story.