Spoiler warning: Major spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 follow below.
Six years after its release, The Last of Us Part 2 continues to generate conversation, and not just among fans. A former Naughty Dog developer has now confirmed what many suspected: the decision to kill off Joel Miller was not a unanimous one inside the studio either. The revelation adds a new layer to one of the most debated creative choices in modern gaming history, and it comes straight from someone who was in the room when it happened.
What Did the Former Developer Say?
Heather Cerlan, an environment and texture artist who worked on both The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part 2, spoke about the controversy in an interview with the YouTube channel Kiwi Talkz. When asked whether Naughty Dog anticipated fan backlash over Joel’s death, she confirmed the studio absolutely saw it coming, and that the divide ran deep internally.
“Oh yeah, most of the studio was like, ‘really you’re going to…’” Cerlan said, stopping herself before completing the sentence for spoiler reasons. She continued: “I think the studio was pretty split on the outcome of what happens. It was controversial internally, too.”
This is a significant admission, as it confirms the decision was not a clean or agreed-upon creative call within Naughty Dog but rather one that divided the team long before the public ever saw the game.
In the opening hours of The Last of Us Part 2, Joel Miller is hunted down by Abby, a WLF soldier seeking revenge for Joel’s massacre at the Firefly hospital in the first game, which included killing Abby’s father. Abby beats Joel to death with a golf club in front of Ellie, setting the events of the entire sequel into motion.
The death was shocking both in the game and when it was later recreated in HBO’s The Last of Us TV series in the Season 2 episode “Through the Valley.”
How Did the Leak Make Everything Worse?
Joel’s death leaked online before The Last of Us Part 2 released in 2020, which dramatically shaped how the public received the news. Without the context of the full game, many fans reacted purely to the bare fact that Joel was killed, fuelling a wave of outrage that spread well before anyone had played a single minute of the sequel.
The consequences were severe. Laura Bailey, the actress who voiced and performed Abby in the game, received death threats directed at both herself and her newborn child. Kaitlyn Dever, who plays Abby in the TV adaptation, also faced significant backlash for taking on the role.
Naughty Dog director Neil Druckmann took steps to prepare actress Tati Gabrielle for similar treatment ahead of her role as bounty hunter Jordan A. Mun in the studio’s upcoming game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Gabrielle revealed that Druckmann gave her mental preparation for the online reaction, telling her:
“Ignore it. No matter what, me and you, we’re going to make something beautiful. We’re going to make something that we’re proud of.”
Not necessarily, according to Troy Baker, the actor who voiced Joel in the games. Baker has publicly stated that fans have “not seen the last of Joel,” though he did not elaborate on what form that future appearance might take. Some fans are speculating that a new The Last of Us game could explore Joel’s story through a prequel, though nothing has been officially confirmed.
What Is Naughty Dog Working On Now?
Naughty Dog currently has multiple single-player projects in development. The confirmed title is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a new IP announced at the end of 2024 that Druckmann has described as exploring themes of faith and religion. A second project remains unconfirmed, with speculation split between a new The Last of Us entry and a potential Uncharted 5.
Additionally, former Naughty Dog director Vinit Agarwal has spoken separately about the cancellation of The Last of Us Online, the studio’s standalone multiplayer project that was approximately 80 percent complete before it was shelved. Agarwal confirmed the project was cancelled to prioritise a new single-player title under Druckmann, and that he was informed only one day before the public announcement.
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