HBO Max releases episode 1 of The Last of Us for free on YouTube

The first episode of The Last of Us is now free to watch on YouTube. This move comes ahead of the show’s Episode three release. The watch link is, unfortunately, region locked — but it’s nothing a VPN service can’t resolve.

The Last of Us debuted on Jan 15, 2023 and became the second-best debut on the streamer with over 4.7 million viewers tuning in. When episode two premiered, the series gained another 5.7 million viewers.

As of last Wednesday (Jan 25), episode one tracked over 18 million views.

HBO pulled a similar move in September 2022 when it uploaded the first episode of House of the Dragon on YouTube. Seeing how that stunt managed to launch the Game of Thrones prequel’s viewership even further, it makes sense that HBO will want to replicate the same for its latest series.

The Last of Us has been a hit for critics and fans alike. The series has earned a 97 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score and has been applauded for its faithful adaptation of the game, as well as for its world-building.

The success thus far has even led to a season two renewal, with a potential for a third.

The Last of Us is based on the PlayStation game and takes place 20 years after modern civilisation has been destroyed. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone.

What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal journey as they both must traverse the US and depend on each other for survival. 

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ddBifCzUl8[/embed]

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