Naughty Dog opened The Last of Us Day weekend early. A free animated Welcome Hub background built from Part I and Part II Remastered key art is already available on PlayStation 5, while the studio is holding its bigger #TLOUDay festivities for Monday, September 28. GamingBible, IGN Nordic, Push Square, and VGTimes all reported the same drop after Naughty Dog’s social posts on September 26.
The background places younger and older Ellie side by side with Joel and Abby in frame, then adds small motion cues such as lightning flashes and birds. It is the first The Last of Us-themed Welcome Hub background, according to Naughty Dog’s own wording quoted by GamingBible and IGN.
How to find the free background
You do not need a separate PlayStation Store download for the theme itself. Sign into a PlayStation Network account on PS5, open the Welcome Hub (the screen that greets you after boot), and use the Change Background control. IGN Nordic’s steps and VGTimes’ menu path line up: go to Backgrounds → Games and select The Last of Us entry. VGTimes reported it available across regions when checked on September 26, and described it as free with no subscription gate.
If the artwork is missing, check for a system feature update. VGTimes notes the Welcome Hub package can land automatically; you can also trigger a manual check under Settings → System for system software / feature updates if your console has been offline. Push Square separately reminded readers that Welcome Hub now includes a most-played games widget, so it is worth opening the hub even if you rarely change wallpapers.
| Step | Where on PS5 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sign into PSN | Required per Naughty Dog’s post (via GamingBible / IGN) |
| 2 | Open Welcome Hub | Boot screen / hub home |
| 3 | Change Background | Control near the top of the hub (IGN Nordic) |
| 4 | Backgrounds → Games | Select The Last of Us animated background (VGTimes / IGN) |
| If missing | Settings → System → system feature update | VGTimes: update can apply automatically or via manual check |
Monday Sep 28: Naughty Dog’s tease checklist
Outbreak-style The Last of Us Day historically lands around September 26. This year Naughty Dog is saving the main slate for Monday. In a separate social post quoted by GamingBible and IGN, the studio asked fans to expect a partnership announcement, a collaboration, digital surprises, and a No Return charity stream on Twitch. Neither post promised The Last of Us Part III, and GamingBible explicitly tempered that expectation.
| Sep 28 item | What Naughty Dog said | Status as of Sep 27 |
|---|---|---|
| Partnership announcement | Teased for Monday | Details not yet public |
| Collaboration | “A very cool collaboration” | Details not yet public |
| Digital surprises | Teased alongside the above | Background already live; more TBD |
| No Return charity stream | Twitch stream called out in studio post | Tune-in Monday (time not in the quoted posts) |
| Part III reveal | Not promised | Outlets advise low expectations |
HBO Season 3 casting note
GamingBible and IGN also flagged HBO’s Season 3 casting news timed to the celebration. John Goodman joins as Joey. Ian Alexander and Laura Bailey, who played Lev and Abby in Part II, are set for series roles (Paco and Seraphite leader Elizabeth, per GamingBible). Season 3 is still slated for 2027 on HBO. That television news is separate from the PS5 background, but it is part of the same weekend’s franchise coverage.
For PS5 owners, the practical takeaway is simpler: the Welcome Hub background is free, already live, and only a few menu taps away while you wait for Monday’s Naughty Dog posts.
Sources: GamingBible; IGN Nordic; Push Square; VGTimes; Naughty Dog social posts (Sep 26, 2026)