Will The Last of Us Part 2 Ever Get a PC Port?

At this time, there has been no official confirmation from Sony or Naughty Dog on plans to port The Last of Us Part 2 to PC. However, by analyzing the franchise‘s history with PC ports, Sony‘s broader PC strategy, and industry trends, I believe there is a strong possibility TLOU2 will come to PC – but not until 2024 at the very earliest.

Background: 7 Years Between Original TLOU and its PC Port

The original The Last of Us released in 2013 as a PlayStation 3 exclusive title before getting "remastered" for PlayStation 4 the following year. However, it took nearly 7 years for the game to be ported to PC, which finally occurred in March 2023.

Given this lengthy timeline, it‘s not surprising we don‘t have definitive answers yet on a PC port for the sequel, which launched in Summer 2020. However, Sony has been ramping up efforts to bring PlayStation exclusives to PC over the past several years, so precedents and incentives exist for them to port TLOU2 as well.

Timelines of Other Major Sony Games Getting PC Ports

Here is a comparison of when some of Sony‘s biggest first-party PlayStation titles were later ported to PC:

*Uncharted series originally spanned PS3 to PS4 platforms starting in 2007

As we can see, even PlayStation mega-hits are often taking 3+ years to get PC ports. And Uncharted proves that Sony is even willing to port PS3-era games if there is enough demand.

Strong Sales Provide Incentive for Sony to Port

The Last of Us PC port has sold over 1 million copies in its first month according to Video Games Chronicle, citing SteamSpy data. This represents major sales success that gives Sony further incentive to bring sequel to PC.

The technical director for the original TLOU PC port stated that Sony plans to release more games on PC following its strong sales performance. So this is a good sign the company sees PC as a viable market for its titles, including TLOU2.

Challenge of Porting a Massive, Graphically-Intensive Sequel

However, The Last of Us Part 2 is a much more ambitious game than its predecessor from a technical perspective. Its stunningly detailed graphics and expansive world would require extensive optimization work to get running smoothly on a wide range of PC hardware configurations.

And as a smaller outfit compared to first-party Sony studios, Naughty Dog has limited resources available to dedicate to a intensive PC port concurrently with PlayStation development. They would likely need to partner with specialized porting studios like Virtuos or Iron Galaxy.

Digital Foundry technical analysis reveals just how astonishingly demanding TLOU2 is even running on PlayStation 4 Pro hardware with its advanced particle, lighting, and AI systems. This explains why a PC port would be such an massive undertaking.

Predicting a Likely Timeline for TLOU2‘s PC Port

Given all we know of the franchise‘s history, Sony‘s roadmap, and the game‘s technical complexity, I speculate the following is a reasonable timeline to expect for The Last of Us Part 2 PC port:

Earliest potential release: Late 2024
Most likely release window: 2025

I estimate it taking a minimum of 2 years from when active development starts for talent like Virtuos to transfer TLOU2 into a well-optimized PC build. With the remake of the original still fresh in early 2023, Sony may want to space things out before announcing TLOU2.

2025 allows enough runway for both Naughty Dog and Sony to maximize sales on PlayStation platforms first. So while not guaranteed, fans hungry for a PC release should I believe temper hopes for anything earlier than late 2024, with 2025 being the safest bet.

Conclusion: Strong Chance of PC Port in 2024-2025 Timeframe

Given Sony‘s increased PC activity and the technical precedent set by God of War and Horizon: Zero Dawn, I think the odds are firmly in favor of The Last of Us Part 2 releasing on PC eventually – it‘s just a matter of exactly when.

My analysis points to a 2024-2025 timeframe being the most realistic expectation. While not quite the definitive confirmation many fans have long awaited, there are good reasons to remain hopeful TLOU2 could land on PC before this console generation concludes.

For now, whether you play on PlayStation or PC, The Last of Us franchise remains a pinnacle of blockbuster game design boasting unparalleled storytelling, combat intensity, and emotional impact. Here‘s hoping all players get to experience its hard-hitting sequel sooner than later.