Sony demonstrated a The Last of Us location-based experience at CES 2025, but its official materials describe it as a proof of concept—not a confirmed public attraction. Sony has not announced a venue, tickets, or an opening date in the sources available.
What Sony showed at CES 2025
The demonstration placed visitors in an enclosed space surrounded by a wrap-around Crystal LED display showing scenes inspired by the game. Visitors used controllers to interact with the scene, including responding to a Clicker in an underground tunnel. Sony described the concept as combining display technology, PlayStation game content, audio, haptics, scent, and atmospheric effects. Sony’s concept page calls it a “proof-of-concept entertainment experience” and credits Naughty Dog LLC with creating and developing it.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Last of Us Part I – PlayStation 5 | $37.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Last of Us Part 1 - For PlayStation 5 | $42.50 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Resident Evil 4 - PS5 | $15.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Sony’s CES booth transcript describes fog and identifies the controller used in the demo as a Mimic Controller. Guy Wilday, VP of Interactive Technology at Sony Pictures Entertainment, described the sensory elements this way: “We’re completely immersing you with audio. We’ve got haptics, we’re giving visitors a mimic controller, we’ve got smell.” An unnamed visitor in the transcript said, “Everything felt real, like you were actually in this game.”
Is it opening to the public?
Sony has not announced a public venue, ticketing, touring schedule, or opening date in its official materials reviewed. The company’s 2025 Corporate Report says it is “experimenting how best to bring such an exciting franchise into the physical world through LBE and merchandising,” and identifies the January 2025 CES showcase as a proof of concept. That supports describing the project as exploration of location-based entertainment, not as an attraction with confirmed public access.
#1 Best Overall
- Enhanced visuals: Completely rebuilt from the ground up using Naughty Dog’s latest PS5 engine technology to improve every visual detail, The Last of Us experience has been faithfully enhanced with more realistic lighting and atmosphere, more intricate environments and creative reimaginings of familiar spaces.
- Fast loading: Initial loading times are near instant, and seamless after the first instance thanks to the PS5 console’s SSD – so you can pick up where you left off in the story and load specific encounters and chapters more quickly.
- Haptic feedback: DualSense wireless controller haptic feedback support for every weapon elevates combat encounters, and environments are brought to life through DualSense wireless controller haptic sensations of subtle falling rain, the crunch of stepping on snow and more.
- Adaptive triggers: All The Last of Us iconic weapons, including Joel’s revolver and Ellie’s bow, now deliver dynamic DualSense wireless controller trigger resistance and kickback on firing for deeper combat immersion.
- 3D Audio: Designed to make use of the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, Naughty Dog’s newly upgraded audio engine delivers richer soundscapes, bigger explosive moments and more visceral gameplay through compatible stereo headphones (analogue or USB) or TV speakers.
Why Sony is exploring the idea
The Last of Us is a major franchise for Sony. Its 2025 Corporate Report reports more than 37 million cumulative copies sold and over 300 Game of the Year awards for The Last of Us Part II. The same report says season two of the television series averaged nearly 37 million viewers per episode after its April 2025 release. These are figures reported by Sony Group Corporation, not independent measurements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to experience the game separately
The Last of Us Part I is available for PS5 and PC, according to the official PlayStation game page. The game is a separate way to explore the source material; buying it does not grant access to the CES installation. PlayStation describes PS5 features for the game that include DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers, but those retail controller features are distinct from the CES demo’s Mimic Controller.
Quick Recap
Rank #3
- Reawaken a Classic – Resident Evil 4 preserves the essence of the original game, now reconstructed using Capcom’s proprietary RE Engine to deliver realistic visuals and additional narrative depth to the iconic story that was not possible at the time of the original release.
- Modernized Gameplay – The team from 2019’s Resident Evil 2 returns to build upon the series’ modern approach to survival horror. Engage in frenzied combat with the Ganados villagers, explore a European village gripped by madness, and solve puzzles to access new areas and collect useful items for Leon and Ashley’s constant struggle to survive.
- Overwhelming Hordes – Face hordes of rabid enemies that threaten to overwhelm Leon with even more diverse methods of attack than in the original release.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
- Survive on a Knife’s Edge – Years of intense training have taught Leon new ways to use his knife, helping to even the odds against the unrelenting onslaught of enemies. By parrying enemy attacks, you can avoid debilitating damage and evade lunging enemies seeking to grab Leon and hold him in place. Make smart use of scavenged knives to deliver precise finishing moves on vulnerable enemies, and even use the element of surprise to quietly dispatch unsuspecting foes before they break.
Rank #2
- Enhanced visuals: Completely rebuilt from the ground up using Naughty Dog’s latest PS5 engine technology to improve every visual detail, The Last of Us experience has been faithfully enhanced with more realistic lighting and atmosphere, more intricate environments and creative reimaginings of familiar spaces.
- Fast loading: Initial loading times are near instant, and seamless after the first instance thanks to the PS5 console’s SSD – so you can pick up where you left off in the story and load specific encounters and chapters more quickly.
- Haptic feedback: DualSense wireless controller haptic feedback support for every weapon elevates combat encounters, and environments are brought to life through DualSense wireless controller haptic sensations of subtle falling rain, the crunch of stepping on snow and more.
- Adaptive triggers: All The Last of Us iconic weapons, including Joel’s revolver and Ellie’s bow, now deliver dynamic DualSense wireless controller trigger resistance and kickback on firing for deeper combat immersion.
- 3D Audio: Designed to make use of the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, Naughty Dog’s newly upgraded audio engine delivers richer soundscapes, bigger explosive moments and more visceral gameplay through compatible stereo headphones (analogue or USB) or TV speakers.
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