The Last of Us video game captured the gaming community quickly when it came out. It offered solid and layered characters and a well-crafted narrative. The gaming community loved it so much that PlayStation had to carry the game through PlayStation generations. Then came HBO’s adaptation of the acclaimed franchise. Contrary to general expectations about video game adaptations, it was so well-received by the lovers of the game and new audiences that its pilot episode broke multiple records. Now the third episode is out, and it even broke new records. There is also a report from Newzoo revealing that the show is boosting the game’s performance.
The Last Of Us pilot outshined Breaking Bad and Game Of Thrones. According to Nielsen and HBO data, the third episode of The Last of Us’ viewing figures increased by 12% compared to the previous episode and 37% compared to the first. The first episode reached 4.7 million viewers, while the second had 5.7 million.
The show achieved the largest ever week-two audience growth for an HBO original drama series, and HBO renewed The Last of Us for a second season. According to HBO, The Last of Us show averages around 21.3 million viewers across its first two episodes.
The third episode of The Last of Us featured Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett as Bill and Frank. Nick Offerman is renowned for his portrayal of Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation, and Murray Bartlett is best known for his role as Dom Basaluzzo in another HBO show, Looking.
Another success can be attributed to the adaptation of The Last of Us. According to a NewZoo report, The Last of Us show gains new fans and rejuvenates old fans’ love for the game.
Newzoo states that the number of daily active users didn’t peak dramatically after the trailer debut, but there was a significant rise in play times and sessions. They also state that they’ll be able to analyze better The Last of Us show’s impact on the game as more episodes air.
According to data from multiple sources and the audience’s response, The Last of Us show shatters many preconceptions about video game adaptations while renewing the fans’ love for the original IP.
