For over a decade, The Last of Us has been tethered to the living room. Since its debut on the PlayStation 3 in 2013, Naughty Dog’s masterpiece—a harrowing tale of Joel and Ellie across a post-apocalyptic America—has demanded a big screen, a surround sound system, and a dedicated block of undisturbed time. But the landscape of gaming has shifted. The rise of handheld PCs and cloud streaming has sparked a burning question in the community: Can you play the game The Last of Us Part 1 portable?
The short answer is yes. The long answer involves Steam Decks, Wi-Fi signals, and a few compromises. Here is everything you need to know about taking this cinematic epic on the road.
(Deep snow. Crimson blood spatter.)
Ellie alone. Her knife durability meter is low. David’s men hunt her through a lumber mill. Stealth gameplay — hide in lockers, under beds. game the last of us part 1 portable
Boss fight: David. He’s a larger sprite with a cleaver. Dialogue bubbles:
DAVID: “You’re special. You don’t turn. Join us.” ELLIE: “Go to hell.”
The fight has three phases. In the last phase, the screen flashes red as Ellie hacks David’s pixel face. Twelve hits. Each hit makes the portable whine. For over a decade, The Last of Us
Joel bursts in. Ellie collapses against him. Her sprite is shaking.
JOEL: “I’ve got you, baby girl.” ELLIE: “Don’t call me that.” (She holds his hand anyway.)
Here is where the portable PC version destroys the console version: mods. DAVID: “You’re special
Because you are playing the PC build, you can install mods that enhance the portable experience:
You cannot do any of this on a PS5 or Portal. For modders, the Steam Deck is the definitive portable machine.