According to insights shared by marketing analyst and Webby Award honoree Chris Colombo, The Last of Us Part II Remastered experienced a significant resurgence in commercial performance during the run of HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2. Colombo estimates that over 2 million units of the remastered version were sold during the show’s broadcast window, suggesting a strong synergy between the television adaptation and the original video game franchise.
Colombo described Season 2 not merely as a successful series but as a multi-platform “ecosystem” that generated measurable cultural and commercial impact. Across its seven-episode run, the show reportedly reached over 20 million unique viewers, driving an estimated $72 million in subscriber value for HBO alongside $17.5 million in modeled ad-tier revenue. Despite a marked decline in live viewership compared to Season 1, with the Season 2 finale drawing 3.7 million viewers (a 55 percent drop from Season 1’s 8.2 million), the series maintained strong global engagement and ranked among the top-performing streaming titles of the quarter.
On social media, momentum surged through key episodes, especially those involving major characters like Abby, Joel, Ellie, and Dina. Hashtag activity on TikTok alone surpassed 10 billion views, while fan content proliferated on platforms like AO3, Instagram Reels, Tumblr, and Reddit.
Colombo also detailed regional trends in fan behavior, highlighting diverse forms of audience participation. These included dubbed video edits and cosplay in South and Southeast Asia, Pascal-focused memes in Latin America, and subtitled commentary videos gaining traction on Chinese platforms like Bilibili.
The renewed interest in the franchise has not only impacted streaming and fan communities but also translated directly into sales for the video games. The estimate of more than 2 million units sold during the show’s airing marks a significant commercial win for The Last of Us Part II Remastered, which is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC. This sales uplift reinforces the franchise’s position as one of the most influential cross-media properties in recent entertainment history.
