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The Last of Us Remake in Development for PS5 at Naughty Dog, According to Bloomberg

The Last of Us Remake in Development for PS5 at Naughty Dog, According to Bloomberg - News

by William D'Angelo , posted on 09 April 2021 / 2,502 Views

Naughty Dog is currently developing a remake of the popular PlayStation title, The Last of Us, for the PlayStation 5, according to a Bloomberg report.

The remake was originally in development Sony's Visual Arts Service Group before it was moved to the original creator of the series. Michael Mumbauer took over Visual Arts Service Group in 2007 and recruited a team of about 30 developers. Sony has never acknowledged Visual Arts Service Group existed, who has been a support studio helping out on other projects. 

Eight people familiar with the situation said that the group's leadership has mainly disbanded now that the development of The Last of Us remake has moved to Naughty Dog. Mumbauer and several others have left Sony altogether.

"At the time, Naughty Dog was in the thick of development on the sequel, The Last of Us Part II, which would introduce higher-fidelity graphics and new gameplay features," reads the report. "If Mumbauer’s crew remade the first game to have a similar look and feel, the two games could be packaged together for the PlayStation 5.

"In theory, this would be a less expensive proposition than remaking Uncharted, since The Last of Us was more modern and wouldn’t require too many gameplay overhauls. Then, once Mumbauer’s group had established itself, it could go on to remake the first Uncharted game and other titles down the road."

Sony has taken a more conservative approach to develop games for the PlayStation 5 with a focus on its more successful studios such as Naughty Dog and Guerrilla Games. There has been more of a focus on high-profile AAA releases by Sony's first-party studios. This includes recent hits like The Last of Us Part II, God of War, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Sony recently reorganized one of its development offices in Japan, which has lead to several people leaving the company who worked on smaller titles like Gravity Rush and Everybody's Golf. Sony no longer has an interest in producing smaller titles that are only successful in Japan. 

Sony Bend, who released Days Gone in 2019, tried to pitch a sequel to the game. It was rejected as the first game despite making a profit wasn't popular enough.

One team at Sony Bend is now assisting Naughty Dog with a multiplayer game, while another team is working on a new Uncharted game with supervision from Naughty Dog. Bend's developers worried it might be absorbed into Naughty Dog, and leadership at the studio asked to be taken off the new Uncharted game. Sony agreed and the studio is now working on a new game. 

the report also mentions how Sony barely put any money into marketing Dreams, despite it being developed by first-party studio Media Molecule. The report says Sony might have missed out on having its own version of Roblox


A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.


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23 Comments
Darwinianevolution (on 09 April 2021)

If true, this has got to be a very pointless proposition. Not only the game has been remastered already for the PS4 (a mere generation ago), the PS5 can play it just as well, so there's no compatibility issues. What's the point? And what would it achieve anyway? How much more photorrealistic do they want the game to look?

  • +23
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G2ThaUNiT (on 09 April 2021)

..........but why? This would be the second remaster of the game already. They're probably remastering TLoU2 for PS5 already at this rate lol

  • +18
Walbert (on 09 April 2021)

Sony needs a major culling of upper leadership, the incompetence and arrogance is starting to set in again.

  • +13
INCITATUSBR (on 09 April 2021)

innovation has ended. It is the remaster and remake age.

  • +3
Walbert (on 09 April 2021)

With Druckman involved he is bound to ruin the remake.

  • +3
kazuyamishima Walbert (on 09 April 2021)

Who do you think made part I and II?

  • 0
Walbert kazuyamishima (on 09 April 2021)

Since part I Druckmans ego has been the issue.

  • +4
hiccupthehuman Walbert (on 09 April 2021)

I have a feeling there may be some retconning in this remake

  • +9

That would be... interesting to see, considering how the response of TLoU2's story and writing went.

  • +2
Tridrakious (on 10 April 2021)

I simply will not buy it. There is so much else they could be focusing on.

  • +1
LudicrousSpeed (on 10 April 2021)

I can see Druckman (sp) messing up Joel's character to fit more in with the story of LoU2. Maybe they add some more Abby stuff, too.

  • +1
UnderwaterFunktown (on 09 April 2021)

While I do think there is room for improvement in the gameplay department, the best case scenario here is a slightly improved game and a just as likely scenario is a game that isn't really any better than the original on a system where both can be played...

  • +1
Cerebralbore101 (on 10 April 2021)

They took people off Bend Studio to help with Naughty Dog's TLoU multiplayer trash, and rejected a Days Gone sequel. So a remake of a remake and a shitty MTX infested multiplayer game gets the greenlight, but Days Gone 2 doesn't?

Sony's leadership team has gotten arrogant and overconfident.

  • 0
SecondWar (on 09 April 2021)

So, would that make it the first game to have received both a remaster and a remake?

  • 0
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TallSilhouette (on 09 April 2021)

I guess they want something to sell alongside the tv show? Seems premature, but I suppose I wouldn't mind one of my favorite games being updated with top of the line production values.

  • 0
KratosLives (on 11 April 2021)

I don't havea problem with a remaster, since a remaster of tlou2 and tlou1 with more updated graphics will go nicely with a new audience aswel before the tv series launches. And what's this bull about sony no longer taking interest with smaller or indie support?

  • -2
LivncA_Dis3 (on 10 April 2021)

people will still buy it at the end of the day (including me)

yes the last of us and resident evil 4 dont need a remake coz theyre masterpiece and good on their own already but maybe if people dont buy em the devs will listen and they will need to take this lesson the hardway,

but i think in the end people will be happy as long as they dont ruin the magic from both games!

  • -2
Hynad (on 09 April 2021)

Is VGC the gaming rumour hub now?

  • -2
DonFerrari (on 09 April 2021)

I don't see a need for TLOU PS5 remaster, unless they want to make the GOTG (game of three generations).

  • -3
CarriedLawyer45 (on 09 April 2021)

This sounds very exciting if it's all true of course.

  • -8
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