‘The Last Of Us’ Set To Infect Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights

Expect high-scoring scares when the iconic video game The Last of Us comes to life as part of this year’s Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios.

The haunted house, which will feature at Universal Orlando Resort in Florida and Universal Studios Hollywood in California, is inspired by the acclaimed Naughty Dog and PlayStation third-person actioner, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. When the game landed in June 2013, it was a massive hit selling over 1.3 million units in its first week.

Naughty Dog Co-President Neil Druckmann, who describes himself as “a massive fan and frequent attendee of Halloween Horror Nights,” said in a statement that he was honored to have The Last of Us included in the fall event that has become a mecca for fright fans over the last few decades.

“It has been an incredible thrill for us at Naughty Dog to collaborate with Universal, bringing the world of the game to life, focusing on even the tiniest details that our fans know so well,” he said. “It’s a perfect time for our fans to team up with Joel and Ellie and come face-to-terrifying-face with Clickers, Raiders, and much more.”

The seasonal theme park experiences in Los Angeles and Oranldo will immerse brave ticket holders in the game’s award-winning post-apocalyptic world that has been overtaken by a fungal virus. They will come face to face with both the nasty Hunters and the Infected, mutated humans who have fallen foul of the outbreak.

Just like the game’s protagonists, Joel and Ellie, terrified guests will take their race for survival through a recreation of the Pittsburgh Quarantine Zone, which will feature iconic locations from the game, such as The Hotel Grand.

The Last of Us brand enjoyed a significant surge in popularity with gamers and non-gamers alike this year thanks to the acclaimed and extremely popular HBO TV adaptation, which starred Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the lead roles. The show premiered with 4.7 million viewers. The season one finale drew an audience of 8.2 million.

Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Orlando Resort kick off on Friday, September 1, 2023, with Universal Studios Hollywood following suit on Thursday, September 7, 2023. Tickets for both events are now on sale.

While The Last of Us will undoubtedly be a crowd-puller, it’s not the first of this year’s haunted houses to be announced. Last October, park bosses confirmed that Chucky would be raising hell at the event.

The murderous doll will be the star of an all-new purpose-built experience inspired by the smash hit SYFY and USA network series which is now streaming on Peacock. Like The Last of Us, the Chucky haunted house will feature at both theme parks.