'It was controversial internally too' — Former Naughty Dog dev says the studio was 'split' on The Last of Us Part 2's most divisive death
Former Naughty Dog artist Heather Cerlan revealed that the decision to kill Joel in The Last of Us Part 2 was deeply divisive within the studio, mirroring the polarized fan reaction. She confirmed that developers were split on the narrative choice, which sparked intense backlash upon release. The leak of Joel's death ahead of launch led to widespread online abuse, including death threats toward voice actress Laura Bailey. Despite internal and external controversy, the studio stood by its creative direction.
- ▪Heather Cerlan, a former Naughty Dog artist, said the studio was 'split' on killing Joel in The Last of Us Part 2.
- ▪Joel's death at the beginning of the game sparked major controversy among fans when the game launched in 2020.
- ▪The leak of Joel's death led to online harassment and death threats against actress Laura Bailey, who voiced Abby.
- ▪Cerlan confirmed the decision was controversial internally, just as it was with the public.
- ▪Director Neil Druckmann reportedly prepared new cast members for potential backlash due to the game's divisive reception.
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Gaming 'It was controversial internally too' — Former Naughty Dog dev says the studio was 'split' on The Last of Us Part 2's most divisive death News By Demi Williams published 28 April 2026 It wasn't just fans who were torn on the decision When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Sony/Naughty Dog) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Former Naughty Dog artist Heather Cerlan revealed that the controversial death in The Last of Us Part 2 was divisive internallyCerlan says the studio was "split" on the decisionThe death was hugely controversial among…
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