"The Last of Us is a perfectly timed post-apocalyptic story. It depicts a truly realistic vision of the end of the world—right as we're growing used to this new normal of apocalyptic myths. Most importantly, it's a heartwarming story—though also an incredibly violent one."
After the premiere ended, the first wave of online reviews was released immediately. Traditional newspapers still had to wait for the next day's print schedule, but on the Internet, as long as one had a computer and a connection, they could publish anytime.
That was exactly why online film critics quickly replaced traditional print reviewers. At this pace, even critics who made a living through television programs would soon struggle to stay afloat.
Faced with the shockwave of the Internet, some people clung to tradition, while others sought change. But the tide of development would not shift according to the will of a few—after all, the old world was never coming back.
Just before The Last of Us premiere, YouTube conducted an experiment—its very first livestream. The broadcast lasted only thirty minutes and was riddled with issues like unstable visuals, lag, and audio desynchronization.
Yet even that imperfect stream caused a sensation in both Silicon Valley and Wall Street. People felt as though they were witnessing the rise of a brand-new entertainment medium, though no one yet knew exactly what it meant.
When the livestream ended, YouTube's parent company, Banana Inc., saw its stock price jump by 8.2 percent—proof of how strongly investors believed in livestreaming.
Of course, livestreaming still faced several major challenges.
First was network stability—if a livestream kept freezing and buffering, viewers wouldn't tolerate it for long.
Then came the issue of image quality. YouTube videos had already reached 720p resolution, but that still wasn't enough for a satisfying livestream.
The most obvious problem was that high-quality video required high-speed Internet, while 720p remained too blurry and unstable. The solution: better image quality and faster network speeds.
Nevertheless, YouTube's livestream success gave hope to many Silicon Valley companies. Several firms unrelated to Gilbert were already planning similar ventures.
Even Microsoft, in which Gilbert owned shares, wanted in. Bill Gates personally called Gilbert several times to discuss the potential of livestreaming and to ask whether they could collaborate.
Gilbert politely declined. Gates already held plenty of Banana Inc. stock, and Gilbert didn't want him increasing his stake any further.
Another unexpected development followed: after YouTube's successful stream, North America's largest adult website announced its own plan to launch a livestreaming service.
The site promised to feature several adult film stars from San Fernando Valley performing live for their audience.
Not to be outdone, Las Vegas also joined the frenzy—several major hotels issued a joint statement declaring their intention to create an online gambling livestreaming platform.
Gilbert even left a cheeky comment on Banana's official account: "You're missing one line—should add: 'Sexy dealers, live dealing.'"
The casinos were thrilled, immediately thanking Gilbert and even sending him a payment as gratitude. They also reserved their best VIP suite, inviting him to visit Las Vegas anytime.
But just like with drugs, Gilbert despised gambling just as much. He had never set foot in Las Vegas and forbade anyone around him from gambling.
As for why he gave the casinos that slogan—purely because he found it amusing.
Meanwhile, the rise of video and livestreaming platforms brought another major transformation—to Hollywood itself. YouTube already had dedicated movie and TV channels, featuring a growing library of films and shows.
The resolution wasn't high, but the advantage was obvious: fewer ads. As long as your Internet connection was good, you could watch online freely. Television broadcasts, on the other hand, were filled with ads—including intrusive mid-show breaks.
DVDs required physical players and either buying or renting discs.
But watching online was far more convenient—just a computer or laptop with Internet access, and you could watch anything anytime, even download it for offline viewing.
More importantly, with Apple preparing to launch the first generation of its so-called "smartphone," Gilbert began urging both Banana and Watermelon (another tech company) to develop mobile compatibility.
He wanted desktop software to be adapted for phones. The idea sounded ambitious, but anyone with foresight could see its massive business potential.
Meanwhile, the Android development team that Watermelon had acquired was making impressive progress. They had already reached cooperation deals with several phone manufacturers to integrate the Android system.
Suddenly, the market was filled with Apple's iOS, Nokia's Symbian, Android, and several other miscellaneous systems—all heralding the dawn of the smartphone era.
For Hollywood companies, this new reality raised an urgent question: as creators of content, how should they find their place in an age of rapidly advancing Internet technology?
After the premiere, Gilbert held a conference call with senior executives from Disney and Warner Bros. at his hotel. The discussion about The Last of Us took up only a small portion of the meeting.
Most of the time was devoted to future planning.
"I believe that online video will become the mainstream," Gilbert stated bluntly. "Streaming platforms are something we must take seriously. Streaming will completely change Hollywood's ecosystem and reshape its entire structure.
"As traditional film studios, we must find our own path in this new era."
Both Warner Bros. and Disney executives agreed with him. However, a few board members privately suspected that Gilbert was exaggerating the Internet's influence.
After all, everyone knew Gilbert was also a major player in Silicon Valley. They believed his real motive was to gain more shares in both studios for his own benefit.
But Gilbert wasn't entirely wrong—the example of film critics proved it well: if you don't adapt to the times, you'll be left behind.
After ending the call, Gilbert felt exhausted.
Holding a cup of tea, he stepped out onto the balcony to look at the Manhattan nightscape.
From Queens, one could barely see Manhattan—only gangs, muggings, and underground deals filled those streets.
But in Manhattan, there was no such worry; it was one of the safest districts in the United States.
You could even say that if the day ever came when Manhattan, too, descended into chaos—into real-life Counter-Strike, crime, and violence—then it would truly mean the end had come.
Ivanka rarely came back to New York. Gilbert had given her a short vacation to visit Donald. With nothing else to do, Naomi Watts put little Ilian to sleep and acted as Gilbert's temporary assistant.
"The midnight screenings have just started," Naomi said as she followed him out to the balcony, holding a laptop in her hands. "According to reports from theater investigators across the country, the feedback looks pretty good so far."
With the internet now available, collecting theater data was far less troublesome than before — Gilbert could check audience reactions to the movie at any time.
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