The Last Of Us TV Show Boosted TLOU Part 1 Game Sales

The Last Of Us series premiered on 15th January 2023 on HBO, and HBO Max saw millions worldwide tune in and share their enthusiasm, criticism, and theories online. Determined to see whether the show lived up to the expectation of being a great video game adaptation or succumbing to other subpar projects, the HBO series had thus far received critical praise with just two episodes aired.

As expected, the series significantly impacted not just the television landscape, but also the gaming industry, with many quick to pick up the controller to play the original Naughty Dog game.

As it turns out, the series helped catapult The Last Of Us Part 1 back onto global gaming sales charts, which entered the Top 20 sales chart in the United Kingdom.

According to data analysis from GamesIndustry.biz’s Christopher Dring, The Last Of Us series helped invigorate gaming sales, particularly for The Last Of Us Part 1, which was re-released in September 2022. The game, a remaster of the 2013 release, was released for PlayStation 5 consoles and PC via Epic Games Store and Steam.

Following the release of the first episode, game sales for The Last Of Us Part 1 skyrocketed into the Top 20 UK Boxed Charts, which saw a considerable increase in sales by a mammoth 238%.

Week-on-week sales determined this; however, it’s unclear whether this was a combined spike for PlayStation and PC sales or exclusively for PlayStation.

• Related: The Last Of Us Director Neil Druckmann Teases Part 3 & 'More Story To Tell’

This impact also extended to the PlayStation 4 version, The Last Of Us: Remastered, which also saw a massive boost in sales for the platform. The remastered game re-entered the sales chart at No. 32 with an increase of 322%, which should be excellent news for developer Naughty Dog.

It’s possible this could continue to spike over the coming weeks, with the shows finale scheduled to air on 12th March 2023. This massive boost to in game sales, the show’s huge social media presence, and viewership performance could convince HBO to renew the series for a second season.