Final Fantasy 7 Remake director heaps praise on The Last of Us II for its trailblazing diversity

The Last of Us Part II Ellie and Dina kiss

FF7 Remake director Motomu Toriyama has praised The Last of Us Part II for changing the gaming industry with its queer inclusion.

In a recent interview with TheGamer, Motomu Toriyama had nothing but good things to say about the game’s diversity and LGBT+ representation, thanks to its transgender characters, bisexual romance and lesbian main character (who totally kicks ass).

The Last of Us Part 2 really delivered on its consideration for diversity,” said Toriyama in the interview. “Right down to the UI, and I would imagine that the cost of debugging on that game was massive. However, having achieved that makes it a great game that sets a benchmark for the industry.”

“I think that expressing diversity with LGBTQ+ inclusion is an important issue for everyone involved in making content, not just people making games. In Final Fantasy 7 Remake, we rebuilt the original game using the latest technology, but we felt that it should not stop at the technical side and we needed to update the story content being shown in line with modern sensibilities.”

Developed by Naughty Dog and set five years after the original game, TLOUP2 follows Ellie in the post-apocalyptic United States and Abby, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between her militia and a religious cult as they attempt to survive.

Final Fantasy VII Remake was released on PS5 last month, and has also worked hard to bring diversity and representation to its audience.

The most iconic and talked about scene from the remake came courtesy of Cloud’s transformation at the HoneyBee Inn.

The original, infamous cross-dressing scene saw protagonist Cloud dress as a woman to meet a sleazy crime lord.

In Remake, Square Enix expanded on the scene and introduced a new character, Andrea Rhodea, the fabulous and eccentric owner of the Honeybee Inn.

Cloud must once again dress as a woman, but this time he’s challenged to a dance routine with Rhodea that celebrates the queer community, rather than ridiculing it.

Earlier this year it was confirmed that HBO is making a TV adaption of the game starring Game of Thrones actress Bella Ramset and Pedro Pascal.

Here’s our guide on Everything you need to know about The Last of Us TV show.

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