The long-awaited PC release of the first The Last of Us finally arrived on Steam and the Epic Games Store, following its console debut. Although the PC version landed roughly seven months later, developers grappled with hurdles that prevented a fully polished launch. At the time of review, Steam feedback painted a mixed picture, with a noticeable proportion of players expressing dissatisfaction about the port’s early state.
Key issues cited by players included lengthy shader compilation times and frequent crashes. Steam reviews captured a broad spectrum of technical frustrations and performance challenges that colored the initial reception of the PC port.
One reader warned that the port could push a computer to its limits during shader workloads. Others stressed the need for a faithful PC adaptation, arguing that stronger optimization should have been a core focus from the outset. Critics drew comparisons to notable launches like Horizon Zero Dawn, suggesting that the PC version felt unfinished and in need of substantial patches at release. A number of players reported not recommending a purchase at that moment, sharing personal experiences of repeated exits and unstable performance within the first hour of play.
Additional feedback pointed to startup stability problems, including crashes during shader compilation and difficulties achieving full-screen gameplay. The sentiment echoed widely as players waited longer than expected for a usable and smooth experience.
Some reviews recounted extended waits for shader progress, with questions about whether the PC port would reach a reliable and fully playable state. A sequence of driver prompts, occasional but real, was interspersed with errors and freezes during the shader process, ultimately leaving many systems unresponsive or forcing restarts.
Beyond technical hiccups, a portion of comments reflected frustration with the overall launch quality and optimization. The perception was that the PC port could have benefited from earlier, more aggressive optimization strategies and clearer communication about expected performance across a range of hardware configurations.
Looking back, the coverage recalls Naughty Dog’s earlier statements on PC releases, which signaled ongoing efforts to bring more of their catalog to PC players. Comparisons were drawn between updated maps on Source 2 and the original layouts, illustrating how the studio aims to evolve its PC experiences alongside console versions. The broader conversation surrounding this release touches on cross‑platform parity, the cadence of patches, and the long-term health of PC ports from major studios.
All of this sits within a larger industry trend toward smoother PC experiences and better cross‑platform consistency, as major developers balance ambitious graphics with stable performance across diverse hardware. The ongoing dialogue questions how soon a port can meet the high expectations fans hold for beloved franchises, and how studios measure success when initial results fall short of those hopes. Consumers increasingly weigh the tradeoffs between early access and patient waiting for a more polished experience, especially when the title carries strong brand recognition and fan investment. In sum, the PC edition represents both a test case and a learning opportunity for players and publishers alike, outlining the pathways developers might take to deliver reliable function, stable performance, and clear upfront guidance for a wide array of systems. — industry reports