Naughty Dog teases TLOU Day 2026 announcements, drops free PS5 animated background

Naughty Dog is gearing up for The Last of Us Day 2026, and while the official celebration lands on September 28, the studio already dropped a small treat today — a free animated background for the PS5 Welcome Hub. It's the first time a The Last of Us-themed background has appeared on the platform.

The background features both younger and older versions of Ellie from the two mainline games and requires no download to activate — just head to the Welcome Hub, hit Change Background in the top corner, and pick it from the Games tab. It's a minor cosmetic touch, not the dynamic themes fans have been asking Sony to restore, but it's something. For Monday's actual TLOU Day, Naughty Dog has promised a partnership announcement, a collaboration, digital surprises, and a No Return charity stream on Twitch. A The Last of Us Part 3 reveal is not expected to be part of the lineup.

Separately, The Last of Us Season 3 on HBO added three cast members today. John Goodman joins as a new character named Joey, Laura Bailey — who voiced Abby in The Last of Us Part 2 and appeared as a nurse in Season 1 — will play a Seraphite leader named Elizabeth, and Ian Alexander, who played Lev in the second game, returns in a currently unnamed role.

Naughty Dog is still deep in development on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and Sony hasn't confirmed Part 3. That said, a comment from creator Neil Druckmann in March already sent fans into theory-crafting mode about a third chapter in Ellie's story — so Monday's announcements will be watched closely.