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Yes—with an important distinction. Neil Druckmann said the Joel-and-Ellie guitar scene that opens The Last of Us Part II began as an epilogue written for the first game’s One Night Live stage event. It was not the sequel’s ending: it was a scene from a live presentation that later became the sequel’s opening. In a Kinda Funny Gamescast conversation with Troy Baker and Greg Miller, Druckmann said, “And that scene just like stuck around as well. It became the opening of the second game.” Read the Gamescast transcript.
What was the scene originally written for?
One Night Live was a staged presentation of scenes from the first The Last of Us. Druckmann said he wrote an additional Joel-and-Ellie epilogue for it: Joel gives Ellie the guitar he had promised her and sings a Pearl Jam song. The scene stayed with the team and was later used to open The Last of Us Part II.
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The interview’s framing matters. Baker asks how much of the staged scene made it into the sequel, while Druckmann explains its origin and adaptation. So although the claim is often framed as something Baker said, Druckmann is the person who describes the development history in the conversation.
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Druckmann described the scene as almost identical to the released version, including its joke, but identified one specific change: the earlier version mentioned Joel’s girlfriend, Esther. The team removed that reference because it was not necessary to the story they wanted to tell. The interview does not suggest that the whole sequel’s story or opening had already been settled when the stage scene was written.
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Was a “previously on” recap another opening?
Yes, but it was a separate proposal—not another description of the guitar scene. GameSpot reported in July 2020 that The Last of Us Part II was considered as beginning with a television-style “previously on” recap of the first game, intended to refresh returning players’ memories. That recap was not the released opening; the guitar scene was.
GameSpot’s report covers the recap idea, while Druckmann’s Gamescast comments cover the One Night Live epilogue. Keeping the two ideas distinct resolves the apparent conflict between accounts of the sequel’s planned opening.
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Where to hear more of the cast and creators’ commentary
For players interested in additional behind-the-scenes discussion, Naughty Dog announced that The Last of Us Part II Remastered includes developer commentary featuring Troy Baker and other cast and creative leads. PlayStation lists the remaster for PS5 and PC; platform availability and storefront terms can vary by region and change over time. Check the relevant official listing for current details.
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- PlayStation Blog’s remaster feature announcement describes the added commentary.
- PlayStation’s US product page lists platforms and game features.
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