The Last of Us PS5 Remake Leak Reveals High Price Tag, Stunning Graphics, and Lack of Multiplayer

The previously rumored PS5 remake of The Last of Us has been leaked. While the debut trailer for the remake was apparently supposed to debut at Summer Game Fest, an accidental posting on the PlayStation Direct website has leaked the game’s debut trailer, September 2 release date, price point, and main features.

You can watch the (now official) trailer below:

If you can’t view that trailer, you should know that the PS5 remake of The Last of Us looks incredible. While the trailer only offers a few glimpses of real-time gameplay (none of which feature any HUD elements), it’s clear that this game has indeed been rebuilt “from the ground up for PlayStation 5” as the trailer claims. The character models, the lightning, the environments…The Last of Us was always a beautiful game, and this upcoming PS5 remake simply highlights its visual accomplishments. The final game will likely end up looking better than The Last of Us Part 2 thanks to the advantages offered by the PS5.

Those updated graphics are only part of the package, though. Here’s how a leaked summary of the game (which was also accidentally posted on the PlayStation Direct site) described the remake’s content and updates:

“Enjoy a total overhaul of the original experience, faithfully reproduced but incorporating modernized gameplay, improved controls, and expanded accessibility options. Plus, feel immersed with improved effects and enhanced exploration and combat. The Last of Us Part I includes the complete The Last of Us single-player story and celebrated prequel chapter, Left Behind.”

While there’s currently no additional information available regarding those gameplay enhancements and expanded accessibility options, they will likely not represent sweeping changes to the original game. If anything, you should expect this remake to incorporate some of the gameplay upgrades featured in The Last of Us Part 2 and perhaps improve some of the more frustrating stealth sequences from the original game. There will also likely be the usual amount of bug fixes you’d expect from any remake.

That description also doesn’t indicate that the original game’s story will be changed or expanded upon in any way. I certainly can’t find anything in the trailer that suggests the game’s story will be significantly altered for this remake. Instead, this remake will seemingly offer you the chance to either replay The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Left Behind, or (even better) play them for the first time if you’ve never had the privilege of doing so. It’s interesting that the remake refers to the original title as “The Last of Us Part I,” though that is becoming an increasingly common practice in more forms of media.

While a pretty straightforward remake of The Last of Us is probably a good thing at the end of the day, you may think that a remake that doesn’t include any additional or significantly altered content would at least be a little cheaper than a modern Triple-A release, Instead, the PlayStation Direct leak confirms that the base edition of the PS5 remake will cost $69.99 and that a special edition of the remake will set you back $99.99.

That feels like a…big ask. Furthermore, the description of the $69.99 version of the game strongly indicates that The Last of Us remake will not include the original game’s brilliant Factions multiplayer mode. While I haven’t seen the description for the $99.99 version of the game, it’s doubtful that it will feature anything as substantial as a remade multiplayer mode not accessible to those who opt for the standard release.

While remaking The Last of Us‘ Factions multiplayer mode would have been a major challenge that may have conflicted with Naughty Dog’s plans for that rumored The Last of Us Part 2 multiplayer project they’ve been working on, it’s still sad to see that this remake will retail for $70 and won’t include such a substantial part of the original experience.

The good news is that The Last of Us‘ brilliant PS4 remaster is compatible with PS5, includes the original game’s multiplayer mode, includes the Left Behind DLC, and retails for significantly less. While it’s not nearly as visually impressive as this PS5 remake, those who simply want to experience (or reexperience) one of the best games in recent memory may find that PS4 remaster to be a more-than-worthwhile way to do so.