"The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Viewership Hits 3.7 Million in U.S., HBO Predicts Growth"

HBO has celebrated the success of The Last of Us Season 2, announcing that an "influx" of viewers has boosted the series' global audience to over 90 million since the conclusion of Season 1.

In the United States, the Season 2 finale attracted 3.7 million viewers across various platforms. The premiere episode of Season 2 drew in 5.3 million viewers, indicating a decrease in viewership from the season's start to its end. However, Warner Bros. remains optimistic, expecting the audience for the Season 2 finale to increase "significantly" due to the lower viewing numbers during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

It's important to note that the Season 1 finale achieved a record-breaking audience of 8.2 million viewers, a benchmark that the Season 2 finale still needs to surpass.

IGN's review of The Last of Us Season 2 finale gave it a 6/10 score. We noted, "The Season 2 finale of The Last of Us reaches its agonizing cliffhanger ending at a breakneck speed, disorienting as much as it thrills."

We've also provided a detailed analysis in our The Last of Us Season 2 Ending Explained, exploring how it sets the stage for Season 3.

The Last of Us premiered in January 2023 and was met with widespread acclaim, often cited as the best video game adaptation to date. Season 1 garnered eight Emmy awards from 24 nominations.

Every IGN The Last of Us Review

View 17 ImagesLast week, showrunner Craig Mazin suggested that a fourth season is almost necessary to fully tell the story from the two Naughty Dog-developed video games. In an interview with Collider, Mazin explained that concluding the narrative in Season 3 would be too lengthy, stating, "Season 3 itself 'would take forever.'" He added that while Season 3 might be longer than Season 2, "there’s no way to complete this narrative in a third season."

He further elaborated, "Hopefully, we’ll earn our keep enough to come back and finish it in a fourth. That’s the most likely outcome."