Behind-the-Scenes of The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Left Behind

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Behind-the-Scenes of The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Left Behind
Eric Monacelli Community Strategist, Naughty Dog
7 Author Replies

Stop reading now and head here if you haven’t completed The Last of Us: Left Behind or The Last of Us.

To be crystal clear, so you’re not tempted to read on…


Spoilers Ahead — Turn Back Now



Okay, if you HAVE played the new story chapter and learned about Ellie’s adventures and relationship with Riley, we’re happy to show you our addendum to Grounded, our feature-length documentary on the development of The Last of Us. Our new video is called From Dreams — The Making of The Last of Us: Left Behind. Watch it now:


Behind-the-Scenes of The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Left Behind

Maybe you’ve caught Grounded: The Making of The Last of Us on Amazon Instant Video or via the Season Pass on PlayStation Store. Perhaps you prefer to watch videos on YouTube. We made that possible as the full feature is now up on the PlayStation YouTube channel:


Behind-the-Scenes of The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Left Behind

We’re exploring additional ways to make these videos available to watch in your region of the world. These are the stories of development on The Last of Us we have so far. There’s more to come. Our final drop in the Season Pass is coming. It’s chock full of multiplayer goodness with new maps, new weapons, new skills, and also a brand new difficulty mode for the single-player campaign. We’ll have more information on it as in-game elements near completion.

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33 Comments

7 Author Replies

  • ZANIACK
    February 28, 2014 at 7:24 am PST

    It’s a shame that IGN had to spoil the main game the day it was released on their own front page and Youtube by conspicuously stating the setting of the chapter in the title. I will always be bitter about that.

  • ZANIACK
    February 28, 2014 at 7:25 am PST

    At least Mr. Monacelli is courteous enough to warn everyone.

    • Eric Monacelli
      February 28, 2014 at 7:30 am PST

      Honestly, I don’t believe in spoilers myself but I believe in letting other people be prepared should they consider something to be a spoiler for them!

  • ZANIACK
    February 28, 2014 at 7:34 am PST

    I was still very captivated by TLOU, it’s just infuriating to have had much of my favorite game’s ending spoiled.

  • Erlaxis
    February 28, 2014 at 7:46 am PST

    Warning, maybe spoilers ahead:

    Left Behind was incredible. I don’t have any complain about it. I even liked the somewhat high amount of combat at the end of it. It helped to make the situaton feel dire and desperate for Ellie.

    Kudos to you, Mr. Monacelli for the spoiler warning. It’s nice when people are considerate about what others may consider spoilers.

  • JDSSLP
    February 28, 2014 at 7:55 am PST

    Thank you for releasing this for us. Left Behind was great – I felt like I was playing a person, doing things people would be doing, rather than a walking knife or gun playing to unlock the next cutscene. Also, the “chase” or “on-the-run” sequences are much improved over previous ND games, well done!

    P.S. My condolences on the loss of your mascot.

  • AtFatesFingers
    February 28, 2014 at 8:25 am PST

    Best DLC ever. I wanna sincerely congratulate everyone that was involved in making it. A whole side of Ellie’s character was fleshed out and done in a very deep, coherent and believable way. I love how you guys handled the various gameplay elements that had nothing to do with combat. It was just a perfect and touching gaming experience.
    Now I’d love to see this same team of highly talented individuals working on a ps4 title.

  • BattleSkard
    February 28, 2014 at 8:56 am PST

    I hope you guys bring this to the PS4. I sold my PS3 without every playing TLOU. I watched clips on youtube and fell in love with the game.

  • LittleBigLife
    February 28, 2014 at 9:04 am PST

    I believe that what JDSSLP was trying to say was, at the Left Behind final credits, it said R.I.P. at one of Naughty Dog’s mascots, Pogo and Trumpet. So, I’m pretty sure that’s what he was trying to say. Nonetheless, if it’s true, then my condolences too.

  • yazter
    February 28, 2014 at 9:09 am PST

    First of all, thank you for this superb DLC. I enjoyed it immensely! Very detailed with a lot to explore that be a standalone game on its own merit. Hats off to the team for their dedicated work. First ND single player only DLC proved to be nothing less than superb

    Second, another thank you for adding single-player only DLC Trophies. I was amongst those who expressed a wish for such Trophies so I take their implementation as a personal favour for which I say, again, thank you. (On that note, I’d like you to take note of the fact that, unlike many who demanded MP DLC trophies for “previous games,” I along with many actually went for the SP Trophies instead of asking for trophies and not getting a single one (which was the case with a ‘previous game’).

    Finally, I kinda hoped for a game that shows the collapse of civilization (i.e. in medias res). I know the game is like TWD in its focus where it shows human nature under anarchy and collapsed civilization, but part of me wants to experience the events hands on. We saw a glimpse of what had transpired in the opening cutscene. So maybe a “prequel” to the Last of Us that would called something like.. *drumroll* “The First of Them.” XD

  • Zacky-V-A7X
    February 28, 2014 at 9:12 am PST

    Best DLC ever! congrats ND, can’t wait for the new Uncharted!!!!

  • Stringer2355
    February 28, 2014 at 9:45 am PST

    Infected coming to Multiplayer ?

  • snakeeyes211
    February 28, 2014 at 9:54 am PST

    Awesome I love it

  • kmetek
    February 28, 2014 at 10:16 am PST

    give us more DLC.

  • Popbot
    February 28, 2014 at 10:30 am PST

    Just have to say I was kind of upset to see Grounded made available for free. I bought the season pass (19.99) mainly to see this content (as I don’t play multiplayer and Left Behind wasn’t even announced yet) I’m curious if you have plans to “make it up” to those of us that paid for this content

  • D-Squad3
    February 28, 2014 at 10:46 am PST

    When will we hear more news about more DLC?

  • DoTheKiller91
    February 28, 2014 at 11:35 am PST

    Can we use those new weapons in single player aswell?

  • nirojan45
    February 28, 2014 at 12:18 pm PST

    Hey when do the people with season’s passes get the left behind pre-order bonuses?

  • Popbot
    February 28, 2014 at 12:49 pm PST

    “Hey when do the people with season’s passes get the left behind pre-order bonuses?”
    +1

  • LuiSpartanMIMIMI
    February 28, 2014 at 12:56 pm PST

    Eric, long time I’m thinking about something..

    Did you Dogs ever considered making a Psicologic Horror game? I don’t know why, but the first time I played The Last of Us, I felt a little of Silent Hill in it.

    All the emotion, suspense, drama music, made me think that there could be a really good game ala Silent Hill from the best developer on the world: Naughty Dog.

  • Strangeheaven
    February 28, 2014 at 1:30 pm PST

    Worst thing about The Last Of Us was that character called tess, all she ever done was moan and complain to joel. do that,do this. I was glad when they killed her off.

    But anyway Naughtydog please make a Sci-Fi game next,or something new altogether.

  • neuropunk
    February 28, 2014 at 3:21 pm PST

    Why won’t people shut up about this severely overrated crappy “game”?

    Western games are so shallow, usually have bad stories and bad gameplay. So linear, casual QTEs everywhere, set piece gimmicks, in game scripted event in game cutscenes that suck, etc.?

    Do people not like good games anymore? Why do people praise video games with bad gameplay? Is it because all you casuals care about is graphics? The Last of Us is one of the worst video games i have ever experienced.

  • jveloz21
    February 28, 2014 at 4:14 pm PST

    @21
    The definition of a “good game” is completely subjective. I don’t like most Japanese games, but I’m not so full as myself as to say that anything that comes out of Japan is inherently bad. Maybe you didn’t like it, but the majority of people (around the world) did. If you consider yourself a gamer with dignity, then you should learn to respect that. Your comment makes you seem immature, arrogant, and “elitist,” all of which I’m sure you are not.

  • tusunami
    February 28, 2014 at 4:36 pm PST

    Can you believe that i still haven’t played this masterpiece yet, with my school schedule loosening up in a bit i will get into this very soon.

  • neuropunk
    February 28, 2014 at 6:33 pm PST

    @22 just because you dislike something does not mean that it is bad. You just have bad tastes if you think Japanese games are bad. Japanese games offer the most variety and depth. Also, Nintendo.

    Millions of people love Cawadoody, Justin Beeper, Lady Googoo, Britney Smears, Twilight films, live action Transformers films, Star Wars prequels, etc., but does that make them good? No.

    Western games are shallow and are ruining modern gaming.

  • sleeKSP3
    February 28, 2014 at 10:18 pm PST

    @24 Japanese games are just as bad as Western games these days. They are not what they used to be. Just look what has happened to, for example, Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Resident Evil?? I’m a huge fan of Super Mario Bros.3, but the series does not have the magic it used to have, and that goes same for anything Sega pumps out lately(where’s next Jet Set Radio, ShenMue, and Virtua Fighter?) So if you think Japanese developers, with few exceptions, still make good games, you are full of yourself!

  • Welmosca
    March 1, 2014 at 12:07 am PST

    ND I just wanna thank you for the demonstration of real quality and depth of immersion in games.Left Behind is without doubt the best DLC ever created….I was impressed with every single moment…the way you guys showed the friendship between Ellie and Riley was just phenomenal and blended with Ellie trying to save Joel,oh man it gives me shivers.ND you simply rule the gaming world.

    There are only one group of devs that keep up with your quality and thats Santa Monica.

    Thank you ND “TLoU team” you guys have my support forever.

    Amazing video,its always nice to see the behind the scenes.Thank you for posting.

  • Welmosca
    March 1, 2014 at 12:10 am PST

    @ 21 neuropunk – That goes way…far far away beyond trolling…you just created a new level of trolling.Should I say…”congratulations”?

  • neuropunk
    March 1, 2014 at 2:02 am PST

    You’re trolling if you believe The Last of Us is good, with its horrible “gameplay” and horrible highly predictable cliched post apocalyptic zombie story copied from The Road and all other zombie media.

    @25 That is because they are attempting to westernize them to cater to the common masses of sheople in order to attempt to make more money. FFXIII, DMC, RE have all suffered amongst countless others.

  • cleversignin
    March 1, 2014 at 10:40 am PST

    complain about western games, platinum fallout 3 and skyrim. does that kind of cognitive dissonance hurt?

  • neuropunk
    March 1, 2014 at 3:45 pm PST

    cleversignin, you might want to check all the Japanese games I have played too. Most of the games I play are Japanese, and just because I have played a few western games doesn’t mean anything about western games as a whole, just because there are a handful of good western games.

    Not all modern western games follow the modern inferior gaming trends, but many have hopped on the Call of Duty formula bandwagon, and most of them are shallow.

    I don’t get why so many casuals these days only care about graphics and presentation, and don’t care whether a game is good or not. You want good realistic graphics? No video game is realistic, so you shouldn’t be playing video games for realism. If you want realism go outside, and if you want realistic graphics, watch tv or a movie. My point is that graphics/presentation seems to be the only reason people like the last of us, despite it being a super piss poor crappy “game”.

  • Matrix_Lion
    March 1, 2014 at 5:17 pm PST

    @ 23 tusunami I feel you. I’m in a similar situation. This game is long overdue for me.

  • NeoMahi
    March 1, 2014 at 5:44 pm PST

    Call me crazy or what you will but, Naughty Dogs next game needs to be a fighting game, or they need to approach Capcom to develop some Angel Knives. Ellie wanted to play it well…. So do I.

  • Kaelum
    March 8, 2014 at 9:46 am PST

    @neuropunk – I feel sorry that you are not able to understand and enjoy titles like “The Last of Us”. It’s the story that people enjoy, and Naughty Dog did an AWESOME job at turning what could have been a screenplay, into an incredible game journey. I played Final Fantasy and thought that it was the 2nd worst MMO that I’ve ever played. So, I don’t play it, but I don’t hate it. “Casuals” are responsible for at least 90% of a game producers’ revenue, and in many cases it is significantly higher. Everyone is different, and everyone likes different things, but to hate someone or something that you don’t understand, or can’t comprehend? That’s a slippery road my friend.

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