Abby's muscular physique and extended playable sections force players to empathize with her perspective, challenging traditional gender norms and hero-villain binaries in a manner widely criticized as manipulative preaching on the cycle of violence and moral ambiguity. Creator Neil Druckmann has repeatedly emphasized diversity and representation as essential pillars of the design process in interviews, framing it as a deliberate push for fresh perspectives rather than organic storytelling, which alienated fans expecting a traditional sequel focused on Joel and Ellie.

No external DEI consultancies like Sweet Baby Inc. were involved, but Naughty Dog's internal activist bent under Druckmann and co-writer Halley Gross prioritized these elements, leading to narrative choices like early Joel's death and prolonged Abby segments that many players found tedious and ideologically intrusive. Reception underscores the damage: original launch saw massive review bombing dropping Metacritic user score to 5.3 amid 'woke' accusations, PS5 remaster faced similar initial backlash recovering only to mixed, and PC Steam reviews remain polarized at around 47% positive with complaints mirroring story ruination. These intrusions compromise entertainment value, turning a potentially thrilling zombie revenge tale into a divisive lecture that prioritizes messaging over cohesive plotting and fan satisfaction, exemplifying how progressive overreach fuels 'go woke, go broke' outcomes.