No matter what one thinks of The Last of Us 2, there’s one thing that is utterly undeniable: it is a technical marvel. From The Last of Us 2’s cable and rope physics to its recreation of Seattle, it’s almost unbelievable how realistic they are. Of course, it wasn’t just all of the big things, but the small things the game got right about Seattle too.
This includes one gaming arcade where Ellie fights one of The Last of Us 2’s infected bloaters. It’s a hard fight, but more importantly here, it’s set to the backdrop of a ruined, dilapidated arcade. This particular arcade was based on a real location and real arcade in Seattle, known as GameWorks Seattle. As unique as this feature is, GameWorks Seattle has officially shut down.
First reported by GamesRadar, it seems that GameWorks Seattle shut down on December 23. There are many tweets out there right now about the memories of this particular arcade. Some reports indicated that this was due to a liquidation, and on December 24, GameWorks said the past 20 months saw business be turned upside down and the slow economic recovery led to its closure, per a report from KIRO 7 News Staff in Seattle.
Kotaku was also able to confirm from a Las Vegas location that GameWorks, as in the whole company, was shuttering, meaning every location is closing or has closed down as well. It’s unfortunate but hardly unheard of, as the pandemic continues on and impacts all industries, including the video game industry. Indeed, it has led to several delays, including Final Fantasy 16, over the past two years or so.
While many fans of these locations may be upset, being immortalized in The Last of Us 2 is a strong notch in the company’s history and belt. Unfortunately, the company has suffered mismanagement for quite some time, per Kotaku, yet it’s uncertain how and if this played some factor in the closure.
GameWorks’ future is sadly set, but The Last of Us isn’t. Likely delayed if not canceled, there have been rumblings of a Last of Us 2 standalone multiplayer for some time, and while it’s not known to be in development, many would love to see The Last of Us 3 one day. Perhaps this arcade’s memory will continue on in one of these.
The Last of Us 2 is available on PS4.
Source: GamesRadar, KIRO, Kotaku