Neil Druckmann’s Regret
Neil Druckmann, director of The Last of Us Part 2, expressed some regret over the misleading trailers used to promote the game, especially those featuring Joel, the protagonist of the first chapter. Joel’s inglorious death in the first hour was unexpected, largely because the trailers led players to believe that Joel would be present for much of The Last of Us Part 2.
Deceptive Marketing
Druckmann spoke about the deceptive marketing and admitted to having mixed feelings about the approach. According to Naughty Dog, the game’s creator, Joel was intentionally placed in scenes he was not part of to preserve the story’s surprises, but Druckmann acknowledged that while the studio aimed to protect the narrative, they did not fully consider the impact on fans when they ultimately discovered Joel’s fate. This realization left him regretful about the mishandling of events.
Uncomfortable Speculation
Actress Shannon Woodward, who plays Dina in the game, shared her experiences, revealing that fan speculation based on misleading trailers put her in awkward situations. Fans began to speculate about Dina’s fate, leading to uncomfortable messages directed at Woodward. The controversy extended to discussions about character model changes, with Druckmann, Ashley Johnson, and Woodward addressing the transition from Jesse to Joel in the official story trailer. Druckmann emphasized that his main goal was to avoid narrative spoilers, inadvertently causing mixed reactions from fans who felt deceived by the promotional material.
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