The Last of Us 2 Director Apologizes for Using Artist’s Cover Without Crediting Her

Recently a short promotional trailer of The Last of Us 2 was aired on Televisions. Even though the trailer looks quite attractive for its CGI work, the truth is that it caught more attention because an artist claimed that the song with which the promotional material is set is a cover of her authorship and nobody gave her credit. After a short time it generated a bit of controversy and today Naughty Dog recognized her and offered an apology.

In case you do not know this whole situation was revealed after the artist claimed that Naughty Dog used her version or cover for the CGI trailer of The Last of Us 2, in which Ellie (Ashley Johnson) is heard singing True Faith, a song created by the group New Order. However, if you pay attention, you will notice that there is a lot of difference between these 2 songs.

This is because the song in The Last of Us 2 trailer was inspired by the artist Lotte Kestner and made almost 10 years ago. If you want to hear the version of Kestner, we invite you to listen to it at this link. We leave you below the trailer with the interpretation of Ellie.

“I wrote original parts not in the original song that are copied exactly by whoever covered it. I am heartbroken,” Lotte Kestner said in a message when she found out what happened on June 3, but then deleted it.

After the above, neither Kestner nor the Californian studio spoke about it, but until now, Neil Druckmann, the director of The Last of Us 2, spoke about it and recognized that the song they used was, in fact, inspired by the Kestner version, but that due to an error they had not given her credit. Druckmann then apologized to the actress.

“Ellie’s rendition of “True Faith” was inspired by Lotte Kestner’s haunting cover of the song. Due to an oversight on our end, she wasn’t credited as intended. Our deep apologies — we are rectifying this ASAP. We hope that @lottekestner receives the recognition she deserves,” said Druckmann.

Minutes later, Lotte Kestner commented on this and, in acceptance of the apology, thanked the Naughty Dog team and Sony. “So proud this music has found a home in such an amazing project. Thanks to Neil, Naughty Dog, and everyone at Sony,” said Kestner.

The Last of Us 2 will release on June 19.