The Last of Us Part II leakers identified by Sony, not affiliated with Naughty Dog

Fans were taken by surprise last week when someone had apparently leaked the entire plot and ending to The Last of Us Part II, complete with gameplay footage. Rumors initially began to swirl that the leak came from a disgruntled Naughty Dog employee over pay disputes, but that appears to have been false. Sony confirmed in a statement to GamesIndustry.biz that the parties responsible for the leak did not work for Sony or Naughty Dog in any capacity.

Sony has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that it has identified the primary individuals responsible for the leaks earlier this weeks, saying they were not affiliated with Sony Interactive Entertainment or Naughty Dog, as was rumored.

Unfortunately, Sony could not elaborate further as the information was subject to an ongoing investigation.

The global pandemic has forced many developers to work from home making the games they are working on more vulnerable. It's incredibly easy to steal data when it's less secure. Though Sony did not confirm this was the case, there is speculation that a third-party took advantage of this situation and was able to gain access to the gameplay illegally.

Sony recently announced that The Last of Us Part II will be announced on June 19, 2020 after a brief delay.