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One of the most startling revelations was a promotional email from GameStop advertising The Last of Us Part II, emphasizing the inclusion of dogs that follow scents and attack players. The email detailed how players would confront situations involving dog violence, including emotional reunions with canine characters and the difficult choice of engaging or avoiding combat with dogs.
However, it was soon clarified that this marketing copy was not directly authored by Naughty Dog but originated from an independent editorial on GameStop’s website. Critics initially feared the worst—that Naughty Dog was promoting or blasé about violence against dogs—but the studio swiftly distanced itself from the promotional material, confirming it was merely an unendorsed product listing.