Although speculations have already made their way online about a sequel, fans who are expecting "The Last Of Us 2" will most likely need to wait longer, as recent reports suggest that the new game may launch in 2021 at the earliest.

According to iTechPost, while developer Naughty Dog has already confirmed that they are working on a sequel, making "The Last Of Us" a franchise, the studio has yet to announce a schedule period for the release of the upcoming game. However, Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog's creative director, hinted that "The Last Of Us 2" will have a release date sometime in 2021. Moreover, the sequel will be kept under wraps for at least two years as official details are expected to only come out starting in 2018.

Having "The Last of Us 2" in 2021 is a long time for a sequel, the industry follower believes. Even with long development time, the 2021 release is already considered a bit late, given that the original "The Last Of Us" launched way back in 2013 for the then-current PlayStation 3.

However, it is believed that Naughty Dog has already considered having "The Last Of Us 2" in the back burner for the time being, before coming out with the announcement. Speculations suggest that the studio still has on-going projects on hand, particularly expansion content and continuous updates for another franchise installment, "Uncharted 4." In addition, it is said that Naughty Dog may be thinking of expanding its portfolio with another IP project.

Meanwhile, having a far-off release may have one distinct advantage. Gamenguide reports that with development starting in 2018, Naughty Dog may feature new stories, as well as gameplay for "The Last Of Us 2." Rumors range from having the first LGBT character in the series, to virtual reality support for the game.