The Last of Us is one of the biggest new franchises to take over the gaming world over the last decade or so, yet one question will always persist: will it ever come to Xbox?
The game is a post-apocalyptic hit centering around the leads Joel, an older single father mourning the loss of his daughter, and Ellie, a young orphan who never knew life before the infection.
Safe to say, this became huge. If you had played it, then you were raving about it and if you hadn’t you almost felt guilty, especially if you had a PlayStation.
Yet for such a huge franchise, a large section of gaming has been left to the infected – namely Xbox players. Chances are though, they’ll be left disappointed.
Is The Last of Us on Xbox?
The Last of Us series is published by Sony and while it has been ported to the PC, it is doubtful they would ever allow it to go to the Xbox systems. Never say never, but don’t say likely.
To briefly fan one of gaming’s oldest flames: PC gaming and console gaming are very different experiences. Sony likely doesn’t consider PC gaming to be a direct rival to its PlayStation ecosystem in the same way that Xbox would be, and thus not the same market.
Anyway, enough talking our way into being executed; the other big point here is that, well, The Last of Us is huge. Resources aren’t the problem – if it was ever going to be on Xbox, it would surely have already happened. Just to emphasise that last point, this is a two-game series that now has more remasters and remakes available than actual mainline titles.
Publishers’ desire for cross-platform titles is also diminishing somewhat; exclusives are a bit more in fashion now than they were across the PS3 / PS4 era.
Sorry, Xbox players, but this doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.
So, what are the best alternatives?
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is an obvious pick, as while Ellie might be picking up the mantle for one of the currently famous female characters in gaming, you can hardly do worse than go back to the original icon. Available cross-platform, this game was a big hit upon its release in 2018. It’s still the last new mainline title in the franchise, but still a great action-packed game.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
A more historical romp through the genre of horrible infections would be A Plague Tale: Requiem. It is similarly gritty and a game that does not shy away from gruesome outcomes and difficult decisions. It even has the older adult – younger child duo going on. It’s a perfect match, but also one that’s on the Xbox.
Resident Evil
It would be nigh-on illegal not to talk about ‘infected’ humanoids without referencing Resident Evil. The original gaming king of zombies, and thanks to the recent spate of superb remakes, one who is still definitely on the throne. Resident Evil 4 is the best of the bunch and this particular fruit is also available on the Xbox.
Metal Gear Solid
A lot of other recommendations come naturally, if you want stealth then of course go back to Metal Gear Solid. Any game in the series will do as Hideo Kojima’s love of brilliant – if a bit bizarre – storytelling is hardly subtle.
Red Dead Redemption or Dead Space
If you want a grand adventure then something gritty like Red Dead Redemption will scratch a similar itch. If you want a more sci-fi approach then it is easy to suggest Dead Space as the recent remake was very well-received. Also, sci-fi setting aside, it isn’t a world away from The Last of Us, although it is a bit more horror-focused.
The HBO Series
The other suggestion, which while not gaming, is the TV adaptation of The Last of Us. This went down incredibly well; in fact, Nick Offerman recently won an Emmy for his portrayal of Bill in the third episode. A second season is on the way, so, while it might not be gaming, at least one aspect of the franchise is not limited by console.
The Last of Us isn’t on the Xbox and may well never be, but if the series is enough for you to eventually make the jump, there’ll always be a recent remaster or remake for you to enjoy.
