The Last of Us Season 2 Finale Draws 3.7 Million Viewers, HBO Expects Surge

HBO celebrates the triumph of The Last of Us Season 2, noting a significant viewer surge that has boosted the show’s global audience to over 90 million since the conclusion of Season 1.

In the U.S., the Season 2 finale attracted 3.7 million cross-platform viewers last night. While the Season 2 premiere garnered 5.3 million viewers, indicating a drop by the finale, Warner Bros. anticipates a “notable” increase in viewership for the Season 2 finale, citing lower viewing numbers during the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Notably, the Season 1 finale achieved a record-breaking 8.2 million viewers, meaning the Season 2 finale still has ground to cover to surpass that milestone.

However, Season 2 boasts a higher average viewership per episode compared to Season 1. With nearly 37 million global viewers per episode, Warner Bros. reports that this number is “steadily rising.” For comparison, Season 1 ended with 32 million U.S. cross-platform viewers 90 days after its premiere.

IGN’s recent review of The Last of Us Season 2 finale gave it a 6/10, stating, “The Season 2 finale of The Last of Us races to its gripping cliffhanger, delivering both thrills and disorientation.”

We’ve also published a The Last of Us Season 2 Ending Explained, exploring how it paves the way for Season 3.

The Last of Us debuted in January 2023 to widespread praise, with some calling it the finest video game adaptation to date. Season 1 earned eight Emmy awards from 24 nominations.

Every IGN The Last of Us Review

Last week, showrunner Craig Mazin suggested a fourth season is likely necessary to complete the series. In an interview with Collider, Mazin noted that concluding The Last of Us’ story, based on the two Naughty Dog video games, in Season 3 alone “would take an eternity.” While there’s a “good chance” Season 3 will be longer than Season 2, he believes “there’s no way to fully wrap up the narrative in just a third season.”

He added: “With any luck, we’ll earn the opportunity to return and complete the story in a fourth season. That’s the most probable outcome.”