The second season of The Last of Us did not just confirm the success of the first; it amplified it. Aired on HBO at the beginning of April 2025, the series established itself as a global phenomenon, particularly with a meticulously planned transmedia strategy. The result was massive viewership, palpable cultural impact, and significant economic repercussions, especially for the franchise’s video games. While the finale of this Season 2 drew “only” 3.7 million viewers in its initial US broadcast – compared to 8.2 million for the final episode of Season 1 – HBO notes a potential scheduling challenge: it aired on Memorial Day, a U.S. holiday honoring fallen soldiers, which is not ideal for binge-watching. Aware of this, HBO Max anticipates gradual recovery in viewership over the following week.
A social media tidal wave
According to Chris Columbo, a transmedia data analyst, Season 2 of The Last of Us attracted over 20 million unique viewers across all platforms for the entire season. The series generated an estimated $72 million in subscription value and $17.5 million in ad revenue on the ad-supported tier. It stands as one of the best global scores for a series this season, across all services. The phenomenon also extended to social networks and particularly sustained itself during the two months of the series’ broadcast. On TikTok, the hashtag #TheLastOfUs surpassed 10 billion views. Several key moments sparked viral content waves: Abby’s shocking appearance facing Joel in Episode 2, fan-made montages around the Ellie/Dina couple in Episode 5, and a finale that ignited fan cams and speculations about a hypothetical The Last of Us Part III.
Discussions have intensified on Reddit, with an abundance of debrief and analysis videos on YouTube, as well as numerous specialized podcasts. Internationally, each region has embraced the series in its own way: fan art in Latin America, cosplays and subtitled videos in Southeast Asia, and subtitled analyses on Bilibili in China.
Game sales reignited by the series
The direct impact of the enthusiasm: The video game “The Last of Us Part 2” has experienced a significant resurgence in popularity. Over 2 million copies of “The Last of Us Part II Remastered” have been sold during Season 2’s release window. According to Chris Colombo, online searches for terms like “Ellie guitar,” “Abby cosplay,” or even “Clicker mask” have surged, indicating a new wave of player engagement. In terms of merchandise, the Wrangler x TLOU collaboration was sold out in less than 72 hours, and the commercial potential of merchandising is estimated at over $75 million, confirming the economic power of the franchise.
Actors making ranks
Beyond the numbers, “The Last of Us” Season 2 has elevated its cast to iconic status. Pedro Pascal has become an indispensable figure in global luxury and entertainment, while he is now a contender for the Best Actor in a Drama Series award. Bella Ramsey, naturally, remains the Lead Actress and is considered one of the top favorites for this year. Her salary has increased from $70,000 to $300,000 per episode for Season 3, which is set to begin filming early 2026, according to actress Isabela Merced, with a potential release by late 2026.
Despite attracting fewer initial viewers (3.7 million) compared to Season 1’s premiere (8.2 million), the second season of “The Last of Us,” which aired on HBO in April 2025, still achieved significant success and became a global phenomenon. The series drew an estimated $94.5 million in subscription and ad revenue with over 20 million unique viewers across platforms. Social media engagement was substantial, particularly on TikTok where the hashtag #TheLastOfUs surpassed 10 billion views, fostering discussions, fan art, cosplays, and analyses worldwide. The series also saw a significant boost in video game sales, with “The Last of Us Part 2” selling over 2 million copies of its Remastered edition during Season 2’s release period. Merchandise sales, including a collaboration between Wrangler and TLOU, reached $75 million in potential revenue. Actors Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey gained iconic status, with Ramsey’s salary increasing to $300,000 per episode for the third season, which is set to begin filming in 2026.
