Sony has announced that The Last of Us (review) has exceeded 3.4 million units in sales as of the beginning of this month.

The company enthused that this “remarkable sales figure” was achieved in less than three weeks since the game launched worldwide on the 14^th of June.

"These sales figures are a testament to the blockbuster quality of The Last of Us," commented Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios.

Included in this sales figure are both Blu-ray disc versions of the game, as well as downloadable digital versions. What’s more, the PS3 exclusive has also racked up the honour of being the fastest selling PS3 title of this year to date, no mean feat considering the strength of the releases this year so far.

Doing storytelling proud

"The teams at Naughty Dog are true visionaries and their storytelling capabilities are second to none, this title is an undisputed demonstration of that. SCE continues to be committed to delivering unique gameplay experiences that redefine the interactive entertainment industry and The Last of Us is a perfect example," he continued.

The Last of Us is set in a world ravaged by a virulent pandemic of the cordyceps fungus, which mutates humans into monstrosities and creates a clear divide between survivors and infected. The story follows one such survivor, Joel, and a young girl Ellie who traverse this dramatically transformed world, while themes of survival, loyalty, love and redemption are all brought to the fore, along with more than a few intense survival-action moments.

To the point

For Sony, it is a considerable feather in their cap, as The Last of Us’ success signals the end days of its seven year old PS3 in advance of the forthcoming next-gen PS4. Perhaps more importantly, it also highlights the strength of Sony’s exclusives, a significant asset ahead of the upcoming console wars.

What is more, the developers behind the title, Naughty Dog, aren’t makers of one hit wonders either, but is the same studio behind the similarly compelling and outstanding Uncharted series (review).

Indeed, in our review of the game, it comes as little surprise that The Last of Us has garnered such high praise and a warm reception, given its sky-high production levels and superlative storytelling. It likely leaves more than a few PS4 buyers anxiously waiting to see what Naughty Dog unveils next, past the PS4’s launch.