The Last Of Us Season 3 Doubles Down On a Nearly Impossible Video Game Element to Adapt

HBO Pushes Boundaries With an Ambitious Narrative Choice

HBO’s The Last of Us has already proven it can overcome the so-called “video game curse,” earning critical acclaim for its grounded characters, haunting atmosphere, and emotional storytelling. But as Season 3 gears up for production, the series is preparing to dive even deeper into one of the trickiest storytelling devices to translate from controller to screen: player perspective.

In video games, especially The Last of Us Part II, the player’s emotional allegiance shifts depending on whom they control. Gamers first play as Ellie on a mission of vengeance—then, in a jarring turn, switch to controlling Abby, the woman responsible for a devastating act against Ellie. This forced empathy, driven by interactivity, is a powerful but nearly impossible mechanism to replicate in film or TV.

Yet, according to showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, Season 3 will “double down” on this narrative challenge.

“We’re not shying away from the structure of the game,” Mazin said in a recent interview. “In fact, we’re leaning into it. We want the audience to feel what it’s like to experience both sides of the story.”

That means viewers can expect a bold and potentially divisive structure—jumping between characters and perspectives, challenging their loyalties, and perhaps even triggering the same emotional whiplash that made Part II a landmark in gaming narratives.

Adapting this successfully will require The Last of Us to break even more traditional rules of television storytelling. With rumors swirling that Season 3 will be split into two parts, the creators appear committed to preserving the complex, uncomfortable, and deeply human duality that made the sequel unforgettable.

If pulled off, it could mark another evolution in prestige TV—proving that video games don’t just make good source material, but also provide new ways to tell stories that traditional media has barely scratched.