The Last of Us Part 2 - PS5

[Steelmaker]

Originally Posted by Gremal

A few problems with this analysis. Games are not art, exactly. They're products sold to customers. In the old days there was an expression: the customer is always right. In this case, the game is marketed as a sequel to one of the most beloved games ever, featuring one of the most universally appreciated characters in Joel. Millions of people had played as Joel for billions of hours of gaming, and could relate to him in a way that had rarely been achieved in even the greatest games.

There's another saying that goes "the vocal minority doesn't speak for the masses." Despite the whiners on social media, their opinion does not reflect the majority of gamers who played and enjoyed this game for what it is.

Originally Posted by Gremal

You replace this beloved character with one who is difficult to relate to and you're just begging for criticism because you've disappointed many customers. Once upon a time, this was a very bad marketing strategy and a dumb idea.

Criticism was inevitable and ND knew this going in. Kudos to them and Sony for being unwavering with their vision of what they wanted this game to be, despite the potential backlash. We need more developers like them. And I would hardly consider this a "dumb idea" considering all of the critical and commercial success this game has been showered with.