The Last of Us Developer Renames Outbreak Day Due to COVID-19

Every year for the past seven years, developer Naughty Dog has celebrated The Last of Us’ Outbreak Day on September 26th. This day, of course, coincides with the fictional outbreak within the franchise. That said, this is a particularly strange time to be celebrating outbreaks, fictional or not, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and Naughty Dog has apparently thought better of it. Starting this year and going forward, September 26th will simply be celebrated as The Last of Us Day.

“For the last 7 years, September 26 has been our opportunity to recognize and celebrate the incredible passion of The Last of Us community,” the official announcement of the day’s new name reads. “However, as we thought about the events of the last year and the challenges we all continue to face with COVID-19, we didn’t feel right continuing on under the ‘Outbreak Day’ banner. While the name and date are rooted in the fiction of the game, September 26 means so much more than lore. It’s about showing our appreciation for our fans.”

“That’s why, this Saturday and moving forward, September 26 will be known as The Last of Us Day–a name that not only acknowledges the world around us, but also reflects the growth of the community as we welcome millions of new players with the release of The Last of Us Part Il,” the statement continues. “We have a lot of exciting things planned and we can’t wait to share them with you in just a few days!”

You can check out the official announcement below:

As noted above, the newly renamed The Last of Us Day will take place this coming Saturday, September 26th. The Last of Us Part II is currently available on PlayStation 4. A recent free update, called Grounded, added new modes and more. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the video game sequel right here.

What do you think of renamed day? Are you still playing The Last of Us Part II? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!