We are honored to have Gustavo’s music and talents in our game. The texture of Gustavo’s musical score serves the game’s narrative and the music is rife with poignant, descriptive and intimate sounds. His work is unlike anything heard in a video game before. It’s a beautiful, haunting, sonic landscape that makes the game’s themes more emotionally resonant and emphasizes thoughtfully how Joel, Ellie, and all the characters in the game perceive the world around them. It’s a masterful musical score.

Want a sampling of the sonic delight Gustavo crafted for The Last of Us? Visit the Sony Music Soundtracks SoundCloud set. If you pre-order the game, via the Sights & Sounds DLC pack, you’ll get full access to the official digital soundtrack. The soundtrack is also available for purchase as a CD via the Sony Masterworks label. The Last of Us arrives June 14th, 2013.

I’m low on ammo, so I clumsily swing my two-by-four at the incoming Clicker — dumb move. The creature sinks its fetid teeth into my jugular, chirping with malevolent glee as it rips out a gobbet of flesh. Arterial blood spurts across my face, now contorted in shock and agony.

I’m dead. This time, I try a different approach. I combine one of my remaining rags and a precious bottle of alcohol to create a Molotov cocktail, then hurl it towards the abomination. Flames envelop the lumbering shape as it wails and collapses, dead at last. I’m alive – for a little while longer.

The Last of Us isn’t afraid to kill you, over and over if need be. And that’s a big part of its considerable charm. As you struggle to survive the game’s inhospitable world, limping from one nail-biting combat scenario to the next, you’ll feel strangely alive and alert. In an era of game development that — at least to this old-timer — tends to babysit players with tutorials and handholding to dial down any chance of frustration, this game’s unapologetically tough-as-nails approach feels both refreshing and quietly revolutionary. Remember when games used to kill you? Naughty Dog does.

Later, I’m ambushed in a bombed-out store by a mob of coldhearted killers — human in name only, and no less dangerous than the infected that prowl the streets. I assess my arsenal: just three shotgun shells and a handful of 9mm rounds. Using the dim lighting to my advantage, I duck behind a counter and drop a nearby gunman with a blast of buckshot as Ellie runs for safety. With the shooter out of the way, I lunge for a pair of nearby attackers and subdue them with a series of wild haymakers. Grabbing a nearby two-by-four, I rush the survivors and bludgeon them into submission. I rendezvous with a nervous Ellie and we move on — though to what, only Naughty Dog knows.

That’s The Last of Us. You do what you need to do and you keep moving. It’s out June 14th, and I think you’re gonna like it.

I’m ready for The Last of Us. This morally grey gem from the brilliant minds at Naughty Dog combines exploration, scavenging, and brutal hide-and-seek combat against hordes of deadly Infected that prowl the remains of a ravaged United States. June 14th can’t come soon enough!

Not long ago, we asked The Last of Us Creative Director Neil Druckmann and Game Director Bruce Straley to give us an intimate tour of the game’s sights and sounds. Among many other topics, our new interview details the disturbing origins of the game’s Infected, an idea which sprouted from nature documentaries. Our discussion also plunges deeper into the turbulent but vital relationship between Joel and Ellie, as unlikely a pair of game protagonists as you’re likely to find.

Please watch, and then leave your thoughts in the comments below!

A pencil holder! A birdhouse! An entire environment in a game engine! There’s so much talent and incredible work here, right? We want to thank everyone who took time to enter and congratulate all winners. If you’re wondering about the third contest, the eight winners of our Cosplay contest can be found over on IGN. Watch the video and pick out your favorite Joel, Ellie, Hunter or Infected.

To find all the newly appointed Fireflies and their respective pendants in the game it’ll take some serious scavenging. If you’re looking for a way to help you to find these pendants or just some helpful tips and tricks for your journey you’ll want to purchase one of the official The Last of Us strategy guides. You’ll be able to choose between the Signature Series guide and the sleek Limited Edition guide. If you didn’t happen to win or couldn’t enter one of our Firefly pendant contests every purchase of the Limited Edition guide comes with an exclusive Fireflies key chain pendant of your very own.

Both guides can now be pre-ordered at the Brady Games website. The Signature Series guide is available in the USA, Canada, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Australia while the Limited Edition guide is offered for sale in the USA, Canada, UK, and Australia. The guides will be coming out when The Last of Us launches June 14th, 2013. Congratulations once again to all our new Fireflies!

In February 2012, Naughty Dog’s beloved Jak and Daxter franchise got a faithful HD remake on PS3 in the form of Jak and Daxter Collection, satiating series fans and introducing newcomers to the duo. This June, we’re expanding the collection to the portable audience. Jak and Daxter Collection (comprised of three of Jak and Daxter’s legendary adventures – Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II, and Jak 3) is coming to PS Vita for just $29.99.

The power of PS Vita means Jak and Daxter Collection will feature authentically reproduced graphics from the original games. Longtime fans will instantly feel at home, and new players will experience the world of Jak and Daxter for the first time, along with new touch-based applications of certain mini games throughout the collection.

Jak and Daxter Collection on PS Vita has full Trophy support, but fear not Trophy hunters — the list isn’t shared with the PS3 version, so go for the Platinum!

We’ve been hard at work on this addition to the Jak and Daxter lineage, and we can’t wait to hear your hover board triumph stories as well as your trials and tribulations during your quests for more eco.

The key word for the development of every aspect in The Last of Us is contrast. There’s a counterpoint to nearly every detail in the game and we strive to show as much beauty as the ugly, brutal realities of the world allow. We think you’ll find our wasteland beautiful once you get into the game world in just a couple months.

Our next video in the series will explore the crafting and scavenging gameplay mechanics. An in-depth documentary on the game disc will contain an expanded look at all the content in these videos. The Last of Us will be available June 14th, 2013.

We’re proud to share the news that the first issue of The Last of Us: American Dreams – a comic book series published by Dark Horse Comics and jointly written by Naughty Dog Creative Director Neil Druckmann and the talented Faith Erin Hicks – is in stores now. The series art is also by Faith, with colors by Rachelle Rosenberg, lettering by Clem Robins, and the stunning covers by Julián Totino Tedesco.

Trust us when we say that American Dreams doesn’t spoil any of the story found in The Last of Us game, and instead gives you a great introduction to Ellie and her life as told through events inside the quarantine zone taking place prior to the game. I have to say, even though I’ve been able to watch the American Dreams series take shape over the past several months as we worked on it with Dark Horse Comics, it was still no less awesome to finally see it in front of me and read Issue #1 as an actual, real comic book.

Brendan Wright, Editor of The Last of Us: American Dreams, has a great blog post over on the Dark Horse website that introduces the series far better and with more eloquence than I ever can.

The digital version of The Last of Us: American Dreams Issue #1 will launch next Wednesday, April 10, on Dark Horse Digital – which is available on your iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, or on the web. You can get links to the apps or access Dark Horse Digital here.

While the physical comic book is only available in North America for the time being, the good news is that the English-only digital version will be available worldwide. Keep an eye on @PlayStation on Twitter as we will be giving away 50 codes for the digital edition.

Also on Twitter, be sure to join Neil and Faith for a Dark Horse Twitter chat on @DarkHorsecomics on the same day the digital version of American Dreams Issue #1 drops – Wednesday, April 10 at 11:30 AM PDT. [What time is this in my city?]

We’re planning a one-hour Twitter chat, so keep an eye on @DarkHorsecomics on Twitter and the #TheLastofUsAD hashtag. Dark Horse has let us know they’re looking to do some giveaways during the Twitter chat, so this is one you won’t want to miss.

We’re thrilled to see that the comic series has started already – hopefully making the wait until The Last of Us releases worldwide on June 14, 2013, just a little bit easier.

If you’ve already picked up the comic – tell us what you think in the comments!

See the first six pages of American Dreams Issue #1 at Dark Horse’s website. If you decide to pick it up – and I suggest you do! – you can find your local comic book store here.

April is Prevention of Cruelty to Animals month and we’re honoring this with some animal themed items for your UNCHARTED 3 multiplayer characters. First off, we have some very special and limited DLC available for purchase this month. Pogo and Trumpet, our resident Naughty Dogs, are now immortalized on custom t-shirts and weapons. All proceeds from the sales of these items will go to the SPCALA, a charity that supports the prevention of cruelty to animals. These items are currently available now in North America individually and as a bundle, and will go on sale later in the month in all other regions. These items are only available for the month of April, so grab them before they’re gone.

We will be launching all our Animal themed character parts DLC globally this month. The full list of all the Animal theme parts on sale is outlined over on our UNCHARTED 3 Multiplayer Free-to-Play page. We’ll also have a bundle for all the animal themed parts that includes the exclusive T-Rex Head for Talbot. Additionally, we are posting up a bundle of our Oddball themed parts with an exclusive bonus item – the Fireball T-Shirt – as well this month. Check out the in-game store or the PlayStation Store to see when these bundles are available for purchase.

One of the coolest things about the Animal theme will be the new Tournament rewards that can be earned. You can earn the Croc Gun and Mr. Croc Shirt as Tournament rewards. If you hit the gold tier you can earn the unique Snake Eyes T-shirt. The Shade Raptor Mask for Drake and Shade Dive Helmet for Talbot are achieved by reaching Platinum status. Buy tickets to enter into the weekly Tournament and unlock these items as a testament to your outstanding gameplay ability.

The Lab Playlist will remain as it is until mid-May as we’re in the process of testing new Block Mesh Lab Maps and working on finishing The Last of Us. We will update you once we have new Labs rolling out again.

For those of you who are curious here’s some further info on the charity. All proceeds on the sales of these Pogo and Trumpet DLC items will go to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles (spcaLA), 5026 W Jefferson Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90016, 1-888-772-2521, info@spcaLA.com. spcaLA is a 501(c)(3) organization, Tax ID: 95-1738153, mission statement: http://spcala.com/aboutUs/index.php. This promotion begins on April 2, 2013 and ends May 1, 2013. Purchases of items are not tax-deductible.

If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check out our UNCHARTED 3 Multiplayer Free-to-Play FAQ for answers to almost of your questions about the newly available UNCHARTED 3 Multiplayer Free-to-Play.

Show your support for the animals! See you online!

This gameplay represents a slice of the journey Joel and Ellie will be taking across the United States. They’ll travel westward, traversing different climates, environments, and seasons. The moral dilemmas and decisions they’re forced to make will test the limits of their conscience and humanity. Who is a friend and who is a foe? The Last of Us explores many questions that deal with themes of loyalty, love, and redemption. We’re excited to hear what you have to say about the game and its narrative.

The Last of Us will be available June 14th, 2013.

With the June 14th release of The Last of Us rapidly approaching, we’re excited to announce that the first official television spot for the game will air on the season finale of AMC’s The Walking Dead this Sunday, March 31st at 9:00pm Pacific Time and Eastern Time.

We are now just three months away from the launch of The Last of Us — Naughty Dog’s newest franchise. The team is working extremely hard on putting the finishing touches on the game. It’s exciting to see all the different aspects of the game finally come together into the vision we’ve had in mind all along. Joel and Ellie’s journey is turning out to be something truly special that we can’t wait to share with our fans.

We’re eager to reveal more of Joel and Ellie’s story to you. Tune in to discover where you can find even more new The Last of Us content.