The Last of Us: Naughty Dog releases free animated PS5 background and teases TLOU Day 2026 announcements

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Naughty Dog released a free The Last of Us–themed animated background for PlayStation 5's Welcome Hub, IGN reported. IGN said the background features both the younger and older versions of Ellie from the franchise's two mainline games and that PS5 owners can access it without a download. The studio took to social media to tease plans for The Last of Us Day 2026, and IGN reported Naughty Dog will not share announcements until Monday the 28th. IGN added that while the background is not the dynamic theme some players have requested, it provides additional visual flavor for fans.

What happened: IGN reported Naughty Dog released a free The Last of Us animated background for the PlayStation 5 Welcome Hub that features both younger and older versions of Ellie.
Why it matters: IGN noted the background is not a dynamic PS5 theme or wallpaper but said it still adds visual flavor as part of the studio's TLOU Day 2026 activity.
Context: IGN reported September 26 is treated as The Last of Us Day (the franchise's Cordyceps-breakout holiday) and that Naughty Dog teased further activity on social media.
What next: IGN reported Naughty Dog will wait until Monday the 28th to share announcements for The Last of Us Day 2026; IGN's report did not detail what those announcements will include.

What changed

IGN reported that Naughty Dog released a free animated background for PlayStation 5's Welcome Hub tied to The Last of Us franchise.
IGN said the option features both the younger and older versions of Ellie from the two mainline games and that PS5 owners can access it without a download.

Timeline

IGN published its report on September 26, 2026 and noted Naughty Dog teased plans for The Last of Us Day 2026 on social media.
IGN reported the studio will not share announced details until Monday the 28th.

Limits

IGN's report did not specify the content or scope of the announcements Naughty Dog plans to make on the 28th.
IGN characterized the background as distinct from dynamic PS5 themes and wallpapers but did not provide technical details about animation or file format.