Prior to release,The Last of Us 2director Neil Druckmann stated the game would be divisive and that some wouldn’t like it. It’s clear that this may be an understatement of sorts, as whileTLOU 2releases to raving critic reviews, the user reviews were far less than ideal. That has risen over the past few days, but while the review bombing was one way for disgruntled fans to voice their woes, it wasn’t the only. Fans have turned to threats and harassment, and as Druckmann and Abby VA Laura Bailey share theirs,God of Wardirector Cory Barlog weighs in.
For those who haven’t kept up with the situation, many fans turned their vitriol on Druckmann and Bailey specifically. This ranges from easily-proven-wrong theories aboutDruckmann self-inserting himself intoThe Last of Us 2to messaging these figures directly. Bailey, whose sole role in the game is to playAbby, has reported death threatsand more, while Druckmann has shared various bigoted and seriously disturbing messages.
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The situation is dark and unfortunate, and Barlog responded to some of Druckmann’s tweet with a simple message: “Fck these people, man. Even when I have zero fcks left to give, f*ck them.” Readers can see Barlog’s responsehere, but be warned that the original tweet—Druckmann’s messages of bigotry and hate—can be hard to see.
Barlog is just one of many to step up in support of Druckmann and Bailey, asGuardians of the GalaxyDirector James Gunn also voiced his support. He called Bailey’s death threats “outlandishly lame,” and when asked while he was more focused on this particular reception instead of the work these fans are supposedly critiquing, he responded, “Because online abuse in all its forms is a much bigger issue than the perceived lack of quality of any particular work.”
As of this writing, none of the replies to Barlog are particularly grotesque, but many did voice their fear of Kratos dying. Some went so far as to compare his death to Joel, and others insisted that it’s not that Joel died, but how he did. Regardless, as those who playedGod of Warknow, there’s a prophecy that seemingly showsKratos dying in the arms of Atreus.
At the end of the day, how the nextGod of Warturns out remains to be seen and is small in comparison to the on-going threats and harassment. As many in the industry agree, despite whatever grievances some have againstThe Last of Us 2, this sort of response is not okay.
The Last of Us 2is out now for PS4.
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