HBO has celebrated The Last of Us Season 2's success, reporting a surge in viewers that has expanded the show's global audience beyond 90 million since Season 1 concluded.
In the U.S., last night's Season 2 finale drew 3.7 million viewers across multiple platforms. While this marks a decrease from Season 2's premiere episode (5.3 million viewers), Warner Bros. anticipates significant growth in finale viewership due to historically low Memorial Day weekend ratings.
The Season 1 finale still holds the record with 8.2 million viewers, meaning Season 2's conclusion hasn't yet surpassed that benchmark.
However, Season 2 boasts stronger average viewership than its predecessor, with approximately 37 million global viewers per episode – a number Warner Bros. confirms continues to grow. For comparison, Season 1 reached 32 million U.S. cross-platform viewers within 90 days of its premiere.
IGN's review of the Season 2 finale scored it 6/10, stating: "The gripping conclusion races toward its agonizing cliffhanger at breakneck speed, delivering equal parts exhilaration and disorientation."
Our Season 2 Ending Explained feature explores how these events lay groundwork for Season 3.
The series debuted in January 2023 to widespread acclaim, hailed by many as the finest video game adaptation to date. Its first season earned eight Emmy Awards from 24 nominations.
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Showrunner Craig Mazin recently confirmed that adapting Naughty Dog's video game narrative properly will likely require four seasons. Speaking with Collider, Mazin explained that condensing the remaining story into Season 3 would require an impractical runtime. While Season 3 may be extended, he stated that concluding the narrative then would be impossible.
"We're hopeful audiences will want us to complete this journey properly with a fourth season," Mazin added. "That remains our planned approach.
