It can be tough to tell what year it is in The Last of Us 2. When the Cordyceps outbreak occurred, all human progress stopped. So, when you’re roaming Seattle, it looks like it has for the last decade or so. Despite the contemporary cars and buildings (albeit ruined), you’ll be surprised to know The Last of Us 2 is set further in the future than you’d think.
Below you can find a brief timeline of The Last of Us series, which will answer most basic questions about where the games fall on the calendar.
The Last of Us Timeline | What year is TLOU2 set in?
While The Last of Us 2 is set in our future, the Cordyceps outbreak occurred in 2013. In the following years, humanity is almost driven to extinction, but some pockets of society manage to stave off annihilation. Below is a timeline of The Last of Us up to TLOU2.
- 2013: Cordyceps mutates to infect humans.
- September 2013: Cordyceps infection reaches the United States
- Later 2013: The Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA) takes control of the remainder of the US government and declares martial law.
- FEDRA begins forming the Quarantine Zones.
- Early 2014: 60% of humanity was either dead or had turned into Infected.
- 2014: Marlene founds the Fireflies in response to the increasing oppression of FEDRA.
- 2019: Ellie is born.
- 2033: The Last of Us takes place.
- Joel and Ellie leave the Boston Quarantine Zone and head west.
- 2034: Joel and Ellie reach Salt Lake City.
- When Joel finds that Ellie has to die for a Cordyceps vaccine to be created, he bursts into the operating room and kills the surgical team.
- Joel takes Ellie to Jackson, WY, where his brother lives, and they join the community.
- 2039 or 2040: The Last of Us 2 takes place.
This is a very basic chronology of the series, but it gives some perspective as to when events take place. The year The Last of Us 2 takes place is either 2039 or 2040, five years after the original game.
