On the official PlayStation blog, Herman Hulst—Head of Worldwide Studios for Sony Interactive Entertainment—confirmed that The Last of Us Part II will be released June 19 and Ghost of Tsushima will drop on July 17.

Hulst also thanked both game studios, Naughty Dog and Sucker Punch, for making sure the games were ready to launch even during these trying times.

“Both teams have worked hard to deliver world-class experiences, and we can’t wait to see what you think of them when they release in just a few short months,” Hulst said.

The news of The Last of Us Part II’s new release date comes just after an allegedly disgruntled employee at Naughty Dog apparently leaked the story and plot points of the upcoming triple-A title.

The sequel to the critically acclaimed 2013 PlayStation title was previously scheduled for February of this year. However, the game was delayed to May before PlayStation and Naughty Dog announced further delays due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement posted on April 2, Naughty Dog said: “We want to make sure everyone gets to play The Last of Us: Part II around the same time, ensuring that we’re doing everything possible to preserve the best experience for everyone.

“We’re bummed about this decision but ultimately understood it’s what’s best and fair to all of our players. We’re hoping that this won’t be a long delay and we’ll update you as soon as we have new information to share.”

Ghost of Tsushima was revealed back in October 2017 during the Paris Games Week, but the official title and gameplay didn’t come until E3 2018. After numerous teases and trailers, Ghost of Tsushima was set for a June 2020 release, but was pushed back due to the pandemic.

Following the announcement of the new release date, SuckerPunch Entertainment shared a statement on social media.

“There have certainly been challenges in adapting to game development in a Work From Home environment, but thanks to an incredible effort by our worldwide team, Ghost is nearly ready for release.There are a few finishing touches to apply and bugs to squash — so we’ll put these extra couple weeks to good use.

“We hope you all are staying safe. We can’t wait for you to play, and we’ll have many more details on gameplay to share very soon!”

What do you think of the new release dates for The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima? Which title are you looking forward to most? Let us know in the comments section.