'Last Of Us II' Success Draws Praise From Xbox's Phil Spencer

No less than Xbox Boss Phil Spencer himself praised the team behind “The Last of Us Part II” for their success.

Following the news that Naughty Dog’s survival role-playing game continues to set sales records worldwide, the executive vice president for gaming at Microsoft took to Twitter to congratulate the studio for crafting a successful title, Screen Rant notes.

The next generation of console wars is beginning to heat up with both the Sony PlayStation 5 and Microsoft Xbox Series X slated for the last quarter of 2020 releases. Even as Sony got a lot of buzz in recent weeks following the formal showcase of what their hardware will look like, expect the team from Microsoft not to take that sitting down.

Despite facing review bombs, story leaks, as well as negative reactions to some aspects of the story, “The Last of Us Part II” has proven to be a sales monster for Sony and Naughty Dog. With the character of an older Ellie now front and center, the improved gameplay and refined combat system from the first “The Last of Us” have given players more freedom when approaching a situation.

Already selling four million copies to emerge as the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive game, writer/director for “The Last of Us Part II” and Naughty Dog vice president Neil Druckmann went on Twitter to express gratitude to the fans for their support. As expected, many fans cheered Druckmann on while others tweeted their disappointment with the title.

In the middle of all those tweets though, one stood out because it came from a big name in the gaming industry in the form of Spencer. “Congrats to you and the team on the success with a really great game,” was the simple and concise Tweet from Spencer, an acknowledgment that was unexpected but no less appreciated by Druckmann, says Screen Rant.

“Thanks, Phil! Looking forward to what y’all have coming,” was Druckmann’s response. Just as “The Last of Us Part II” is a PlayStation-exclusive, Xbox also has its own exclusive in the works in the form of “Halo Infinite.” And though the hype behind that game has died down while “The Last of Us Part II” has accelerated, expect fans of “Halo Infinite” and Xbox to sing its own praises as the release date draws near.

As a first-person shooter developed by 343 Industries and SkyBox Labs and published by Xbox Game Studios, “Halo Infinite” is going to be a very different game compared to “The Last of Us Part II.” Yet as first-party exclusives, they are tentpoles for their respective consoles/companies.

The acknowledgment from a rival is a good indicator that Naughty Dog has indeed done something special with their release.