PlayStation fans hoping to get more news about The Last of Us 2 before the New Year are in luck, as Sony has announced a panel focused on the game for next weekend’s PlayStation Experience event. Titled The Last of Us Part 2: Meet the Cast, the panel will feature director Neil Druckmann, co-writer Halley Gross, and members of the game’s cast.
While the panel’s description does not highlight any of The Last of Us Part 2’s cast members by name it’s safe to assume Troy Baker (Joel) and Ashley Johnson (Ellie) will be on-hand to discuss the evolution of their characters and working with the Naughty Dog team.
The panelists will discuss, among other things, the writing process, casting, and performance capture in The Last of Us 2, which is sure to be illuminating given Naughty Dog’s strengths in those three areas. When it comes to compelling narratives, top tier acting, and a diverse cast, there are few that can rival Naughty Dog.
Other actors that were recently revealed as part of the cast include Emily Swallow (Emily), Ian Alexander (Lev), Victoria Grace (Yara), and Laura Bailey as a currently unnamed character. However, Naughty Dog might choose to keep these actors out of the panel for fear of spoilers.
Join Naughty Dog and the cast of The Last of Us Part II as they discuss the making of the cutscene teaser trailer that was revealed just a few short weeks ago at Paris Games Week. Director and writer, Neil Druckmann, co-writer Halley Gross, and key members of the game’s cast discuss the writing process, casting, performance capture, and more. For those attending the event, there will also be a signing session following the panel.
Speaking of spoilers, similar to last year’s Last of Us panel, we don’t expect this year’s event to have much in the way of tangible information about the game. Given that the title will be at the show one can surmise that Sony might debut some gameplay or a new trailer, but Naughty Dog is treating the sequel with a lot of care and trying to preserve its secrets. It says a lot when the first game’s main character has yet to appear in any of the marketing.
That could be for good reason, though, as fan theories speculate that Joel might not have as crucial of a role in The Last of Us Part 2 as he did in the first game. In fact, there is no confirmation that he is even in the game, so if Troy Baker doesn’t make an appearance at the panel, expect the rumor mills to start turning again.
And if you are in attendance at PSX and a Naughty Dog, there is an Uncharted anniversary panel set for 5pm on December 9th. Like the Last of Us panel, this one will also feature actors from the entire series as well as some of the developers.
