Since its release,The Last of Us 2has become the fastest-selling PlayStation exclusive in history and themost awarded video game of all time, dethroning the previous record holder,The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.Although the game has been divisive and controversial, there’s no denying that as far as sales and critical acclaim go, it has been a massive success.
Because of player response to the game and the success of “Left Behind,” the story-driven DLC added toThe Last of Usafter its 2013 release, fans have been hoping thatThe Last of Us 2might also get a single-player DLC. Neil Druckmann announced back in June that Naughty Dog had no plans for a DLC, but fans have remained hopeful in speculating if and when one might be announced.
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Nine months after its release, however, no additional content has been announced forThe Last of Us 2other than an upgrade that gave the game a few extra difficulty settings and a permadeath mode. Fans still want to see a DLC come to life, and “Left Behind” set a precedent for DLCs within the franchise. A creative fan even made afake DLC trailer forThe Last of Us 2,which only made fans long for the real thing even more.
What Made Left Behind a Great DLC
The Last of Usoriginally released on July 02, 2025 and established itself as one of thebest games of the PlayStation 3 generation. The “Left Behind” DLC, focusing on Ellie and her friend Riley, came out on June 10, 2025. It is now included for free with the purchase ofThe Last of Us Remastered.“Left Behind” gave players valuable and impactful insight into Ellie’s past and the loss she experienced when she and Riley were bitten by infected. Riley began to turn and Ellie didn’t, causing her to realize she was immune to the cordyceps infection.
This was a critical moment for players to experience, as Ellie’s immunity is what drove the story of the first game.Ellie struggles with survivor’s guiltthrough the second game as well, which leads to her fractured relationship with Joel.“Left Behind” also revealed Ellie’s sexual orientation, an important aspect of her story inThe Last of Us 2and a huge step forward for LGBTQ+ representation in AAA video games.
In addition to providing insight intoEllie’s past, “Left Behind"let players step into Ellie’s shoes as she fights to find help for Joel, who has been fatally injured. Letting players see some of what happened in the several months between Joel’s injury and Ellie’s first encounter with David helped provide some context, as well as showcased the lengths Ellie was willing to go to to help Joel. In its short playtime, “Left Behind” expanded onThe Last of Usstory and gave players more time with Ellie after spending so much time playing as Joel. Fans loved it, and some still hope thatThe Last of Us 2will receive similar treatment.
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Story Possibilities For The Last of Us Part 2 DLC
If Naughty Dog were to release a DLC with a similar gap between the release of the main game and “Left Behind,” a DLC forThe Last of Us 2would already be in player’s hands. Naughty Dog has missed that opportunity already, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late for a DLC. If one was released, the developer would have no problem selling copies, and there are also several options to feature poignant character-development similar to what “Left Behind” did.
Most players would expect a single-player DLC to focus on Ellie, the protagonist ofThe Last of Us 2.It’s unlikely that Naughty Dog would choose to focus on the time Ellie spent growing up in Jackson between the first and second games, becauseThe Last of Us 2was already filled with flashbacks covering that. Having another flashback in the form of a DLC might weaken the effect Naughty Dog tried to achieve through those chapters. Players also got a good idea of whatEllie and Joel’s relationshiplooked like in Jackson, so a DLC there might not add much.
It’s also unlikely that a story-driven DLC would show players what happened after Ellie left the farm in the conclusion ofThe Last of Us 2.Since there is probably a third installment somewhere on the horizon, the answer to that question is best left toThe Last of Us 3. The best place for an Ellie-focused DLC would be between leaving Seattle and moving to the farm with Dina and her baby, J.J. Almost a year would have gone by, and players have no idea how the characters got from Seattle to the picturesque farm.Dina and Ellie’s relationshipwas also a highlight ofThe Last of Us 2for many players, and a DLC set here could provide more insight into how their relationship grew and matured.
A narrative DLC could show Ellie and Dina settling down on their farm and seeking a peaceful, domestic life. The more relaxed story could be contrasted with the journey from Seattle back to Jackson, where due to her wound and pregnancy, Dina would have had to depend on Ellie and Tommy to get her home safely. Showing these events would make Ellie’s decision to seek revenge again that much more heartbreaking and emphasize all she sacrificed in her search for revenge. Dina is also likely to make an appearance in a third installment, so it would be nice to know more about the life they built together.
Naughty Dog could choose to go in a completely different direction with a DLC, however. Although Ellie is the protagonist ofThe Last of Us 2,Abby’s storytakes up about half of the game. At the end of the game, Abby and Lev leave Santa Barbara in hopes of finding the Fireflies. Both of them are emaciated and near death, having suffered torture at the hands of the Rattlers.
Given the circumstances, it feels optimistic to hope that they found the Fireflies and achieved a somewhat happy ending, meaning there’s a huge question mark over Abby and Lev’s ultimate fate. They may return in a future game assuming they survived, but it would likely pick up after they find the Fireflies and assimilate into their ranks. There is so much opportunity for an Abby and Lev DLC; it would deepen their relationship and clarify the parallel to Joel and Ellie, show what became of the Fireflies, and place more of a spotlight on Lev, a transgender character.
If Naughty Dog wants to establish her as a character that’s here to stay, a DLC focusing on her journey and relationship with Lev would make a powerful statement and set upAbby’s appearance inThe Last of Us 3. Fans have theorized that the third game could involve Ellie finding the Fireflies on her own; having Abby there would make for a very tense reunion.
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Will Naughty Dog Release a DLC for The Last of Us 2?
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem likely thatThe Last of Us 2will be getting a narrative DLC any time soon. Neil Druckmann’s statement in June combined with the fact that nothing has been announced,The Last of Us 2might stand on its own with the multiplayer factions DLC, whenever that releases. Despite the success of “Left Behind,” Naughty Dog doesn’t have a consistent history of releasing narrative DLCs; none of the fourUnchartedgames had one. Instead,Unchartedhad a spinoff in the form ofThe Lost Legacy.It’s entirely possible that the developer could go that route instead and make a spinoff set in the same world but focusing on different characters, orNaughty Dog may have a new IPin the works that fans have yet to hear about.
If Naughty Dog decides to move forward with a DLC forThe Last of Us 2, it could help set the stage forThe Last of Us 3and give even more depth to the characters, but there’s no reason to rush. There was a huge seven year gap betweenThe Last of UsandThe Last of Us 2,but the sequel was still one of themost anticipated games of 2020. Naughty Dog could release a DLC three years from now, and fans would still be excited about it.The Last of Ushas become such a popular PlayStation franchise that there’s not really a deadline for additional content, and with the HBO TV adaptation underway, it may even continue to increase in popularity. It might be better to wait, not rush anything, and capitalize on the hype that will come from the show.
Fans may not be revisiting Ellie (or Abby) soon, but that doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen. Just because Naughty Dog didn’t have any plans when the game released doesn’t mean it doesn’t have plans now. A DLC would be an exciting thing to release alongside an announcement forThe Last of Us 3, or even in celebration of theHBO show’s release.The Last of Usisn’t a thing of the past just yet, so may the speculation continue.
The Last of Us 2is available now on PS4, and is compatible with PS5.
