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The Last of Us Part 2 leaks are apparently the work of hackers and were not sourced from within Naughty Dog (via VG247).
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier alleges that he has spoken with “two people with direct knowledge of how TLOU2 leaked as well as some Naughty Dog employees” about the situation. Last week, the leaks were plastered all over the internet, spoiling the game’s story and gameplay moments. The original leak was uploaded to YouTube, and though Sony removed the video, it had already been downloaded and shared through other channels.
OK: After talking to two people with direct knowledge of how TLOU2 leaked as well as some Naughty Dog employees, I have a good idea of what happened. Short version: hackers found a security vulnerability in a patch for an older ND game and used it to get access to ND’s servers.
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) May 3, 2020
“Short version: hackers found a security vulnerability in a patch for an older ND game and used it to get access to ND’s servers,” states Schreier. Sony has also confirmed that the leaker was not an employee of Naughty Dog or Sony Interactive Entertainment. In addition, the pre-release video of The Last of Us Part 2 is said to be an early build of the game. “I think the footage that leaked is from devs playing an early build (I haven’t watched it),” continues Schreier. “Most importantly, rumors of this being an act of protest by a contractor whose pay was robbed are not true. (ND actually extended pay and healthcare benefits for contractors due to covid).”
In response to the leaks, Naughty Dog sympathised with the players who have learned about the game’s content through the videos and screenshots on the internet. “We know the last few days have been incredibly difficult for you. We feel the same,” said the developer. “It’s disappointing to see the release and sharing of pre-release footage from development. Do your best to avoid spoilers and we ask that you do not spoil it for others.”
The Last of Us Part 2 will be released for the PlayStation 4 on June 19.
