The people behind the massive The Last of Us Part 2 leak have been identified, and contrary to rumors, they are not affiliated with developer Naughty Dog or parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Last week, footage of The Last of Us Part 2 surfaced online, and while Sony is trying its best to take down all the videos, spoilers continue to spread across social media. The leaks include a level list and cutscenes from what appeared to be an internal build of the game, including important plot points and the game’s ending.
Early speculation suggested that the person behind the leak was a disgruntled Naughty Dog employee, in relation to the reported crunch culture at the studio. However, it appears that the rumors were not true.
Sony has identified the leakers, who have been determined to not be connected to either Naughty Dog or Sony Interactive Entertainment, a representative for Sony told Polygon.
“SIE has identified the primary individuals responsible for the unauthorized release of TLOU2 assets. They are not affiliated with Naughty Dog or SIE. We are unable to comment further because the information is subject to an on-going investigation,” the representative said in a statement.
“We’re looking forward to when The Last of Us Part II will be in your hands and can’t wait for you to enjoy the full experience on June 19.”
While Sony has tracked down the people behind the leaks, we do not yet know what will happen to them. However, the damage may have already been done, as going online is like entering a minefield for gamers trying to avoid The Last of Us Part 2 spoilers.
How to avoid The Last of Us Part 2 leaks
The Last of Us Part 2, which was supposed to roll out on May 29, was delayed to June 19. While the extra three weeks of waiting might not seem like much, it means that players trying to avoid spoilers will need to keep dodging them for almost seven more weeks.
To avoid The Last of Us Part 2 spoilers, suggested actions include using Twitter’s built-in word-muting functions, removing YouTube’s suggested videos, using an extension to filter posts on Facebook, and blocking certain words on Reddit.
