'The Last of Us 2' Release Date & Trailer: 2017 Sequel Title, Plot & New Characters Reported [Rumors]

"The Last Of Us" was one of the most successful games released in 2013, earning a nearly perfect rating at Game Rankings and Metacritic. The action-adventure survival game with its intriguing storyline may soon be enjoyed by its avid fan base again, as rumors of a sequel have been abuzz.

It all started when Nolan North, who works as a voice actor, revealed that "The Last of Us 2" is in the development stages. During a MetroCon event, North apparently claimed he's certain game developer Naughty Dog was in the middle of it, according to Game Rant. On the other hand, Josh Scherr, a writer for Naughty Dog, may have also clued in on "The Last of Us 2" development during a live stream for the "Nathan Drake Collection," according to IGN. Now, there are strong speculations the game may be out by 2017 at the very least.

According to Crossmap, game director Neil Druckmann allegedly stated that a team at Naughty Dog was already developing ideas for the game's sequel when the project was put on hold as work on "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End" needed more attention. With "Uncharted" nearing its 2016 release, the gaming company may soon begin working on "The Last of Us 2" and surprise fans with another round of announcements and teasers by late 2016 or early 2017.

With a possible release date cited, fans could not help but speculate about what may be expected in "The Last of Us 2."

According to Movie Pilot, there's a strong possibility Tommy might be leading the series this time around. The game developer may finally explore his version of the story and the reason why he broke off his ties with Joel. The news outlet added it's also possible for the game to focus on Ellie, who could be venturing the new world on her own. As for the storyline, Ellie may be challenged to prove to other survivors that she is immune to the outbreak and will have to contend with new characters along the way, too.

But Naughty Dog may also go in an entirely different direction and drop previous ties to the first game so as not to compromise the story of Joel and Ellie, as suggested by Cinema Blend. This means that "The Last Of Us 2" may feature new characters gamers have yet to meet and new settings the fans have yet to explore.

At any rate, the clamor for a sequel is getting strong and many are awaiting confirmation from Naughty Dog.