The Last of Us creative director Neil Druckmann has taken to Twitter to clarify a few points about the "special scene" shown only to those who attended the One Night Live staged performance earlier this week.
As you may recall, the entire production was streamed online via the PlayStation Twitch account so that all of those unable to attend the event could watch. All of it except the very end. Prior to the show's ending, host Geoff Keighley teased that Druckmann had prepared an "amazing surprise" exclusively for the theater audience which wouldn't be shown on stream. That surprise turned out to be a special scene written by Druckmann set after the game.
Making matters worse, Keighley wouldn't divulge any other details, leaving it up to those in attendance to share the story. Wrong move, bud.
Sure, the premise of the scene eventually made its way to the internet. Long story short, it takes place at Tommy's dam about four years later. Ellie, who is distant from Joel, is sitting in her room listening to music when Joel enters to talk to her. Eventually he breaks out a guitar and busts into a song. The two share a joke, laugh, and Joel leaves, leaving the guitar with Ellie who picks it up and strums a string.
It actually sounds like a very nice scene with a few of the details misconstrued in the retelling. Druckmann took to Twitter to set the record straight.
First off, the scene was written specifically for One Night Live. It wasn't ever intended to be the original ending of the game, as many had thought. Secondly, the scene is set a few "WEEKS" after the game, not four years. And lastly, the song Joel sings is "Future Days" by Pearl Jam.
As a fan pointed out, details tend to get skewed when you play a game of telephone.
I think what I'm most upset about though, is how Druckmann didn't answer the one big question: why they decided not to show this scene to those tuning in online. I get trying to do something special for those in attendance, but it really put a damper on the entire evening as that became the sole focus rather than celebrating the entire event.
To clarify: 1) New epilogue was written for #OneNightLive 2) It takes place a few WEEKS after the game. 3) He sings Future Days by @PearlJam
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) July 31, 2014
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like anyone not in the audience that night will ever get to see the scene, aside from a few still images. Prior to the scene, Druckmann said it would never be released and asked that no one film it.
