Collector's anxiety is real. If you’ve ever tried to hunt down The Last of Us figures without paying a three-month mortgage payment on eBay, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a mess. Between the limited Naughty Dog direct drops and the high-end statues that cost more than a PS5 Pro, the market for Joel and Ellie collectibles is surprisingly fractured.
Most people start their journey looking for something simple. Maybe a little PVC statue for the desk? Or a posable action figure to recreate that iconic "high five" moment from the first game? It sounds easy enough. It isn't. Because Sony and Naughty Dog didn't go the "Star Wars" route of flooding every Target shelf with plastic, these pieces have become genuine artifacts.
The Problem With Scarcity
Let's be real for a second. Naughty Dog is picky. They don't just license the IP to anyone with a 3D printer and some injection-molded plastic. This means the quality is usually sky-high, but the volume is frustratingly low.
You’ve got the heavy hitters like Prime 1 Studio. Their stuff is terrifyingly detailed. Like, "I can see the individual pores on Joel’s nose" detailed. But you're looking at spending $1,000 to $2,000. That’s not a toy. That’s a centerpiece for a room that doesn't allow kids or pets. On the flip side, you have the "budget" options from companies like Dark Horse. They’ve done several 7-to-9 inch PVC figures that usually retail around $50. But here’s the kicker: once they sell out, the secondary market price doubles instantly.
If you didn't pre-order the Ellie with the bow or the Joel with the shotgun, you're basically fighting scalpers in a digital wasteland. It’s very on-brand for a post-apocalyptic game, honestly.
What to Look For in The Last of Us Figures
When you're actually shopping, you need to know the tiers. Not all plastic is created equal.
The Statues (Non-Articulated)
These are the "don't touch it" figures. Dark Horse is the king here for the mid-range. They released the "Ellie with Machete" and "Joel with Pipe" figures that look great on a shelf but have zero moving parts. If you want the absolute pinnacle, you look for Gaming Heads or Prime 1. The Prime 1 Studio 1/4 scale Ellie and Joel set is widely considered the "holy grail." It features swappable arms and hyper-realistic clothing textures.The Action Figures (Articulated)
This is where it gets tricky. For a long time, there were almost no official articulated The Last of Us figures. Fans were literally kit-bashing their own out of old GI Joes and Uncharted figures. Then NECA stepped in. The NECA Joel and Ellie 2-pack was a godsend for collectors who actually want to pose their characters. They aren't perfect—Ellie’s face sculpt in the Part II version has been a point of contention among fans—but they are the most "playable" versions available.📖 Related: Is the PlayStation 5 Slim Console Digital Edition Actually Worth It?
The High-End Sixth Scale
Then there’s the 12-inch market. Companies like CCMC and various "third-party" (unlicensed) creators have made "The Survivor" or "The Veteran" figures that are clearly Joel and Ellie but avoid the trademark lawyers. However, the official Naughty Dog x Mondo collaborations are the ones people actually want. These feature tailored fabric clothing and a level of articulation that puts standard retail toys to shame.
The Face Sculpt Controversy
It’s weirdly hard to get Joel’s face right. Have you noticed that?
In the gaming world, we call it the "Uncanny Valley." Because Joel Miller is such a nuanced character with a specific weathered look, a lot of The Last of Us figures end up looking like "Generic Bearded Man #4." The NECA version captured his bulk and his "tired dad" energy well, but some of the earlier prototypes from other brands looked more like Gerard Butler than Troy Baker's performance capture.
Ellie is even harder. Her face changed so much between the 2013 original, the Remaster, the Part I Remake, and Part II. If you're buying a figure, you have to be specific about which "version" of Ellie you want. A Part I Ellie looks like a spunky kid; a Part II Ellie looks like she hasn't slept in three weeks and is fueled entirely by spite and caffeine.
Spotting the Fakes
Since these figures are so expensive, the market is flooded with "bootlegs." You’ll see them on sites like AliExpress or shady eBay listings shipping from overseas for $25 when the real version is $150.
Here is how you tell the difference. Look at the eyes. Genuine The Last of Us figures have clean, centered paint applications on the pupils. Bootlegs usually look like the character is having a stroke or looking in two different directions at once. Also, check the box art. If the printing looks blurry or the "Naughty Dog" logo is missing or slightly "off" (like "Naughty Dag"), run away.
The weight is another giveaway. Quality PVC has a certain heft. The cheap knock-offs feel like hollow birthday cake toppers. They also smell. Real talk: cheap bootleg plastic has a chemical, gasoline-like odor that doesn't go away. If your Ellie figure smells like a tire fire, it’s not official.
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Why Do They Cost So Much?
It's supply and demand. Simple as that.
Sony doesn't treat The Last of Us like Spider-Man. They treat it like prestige television (which it now is). They want the merch to feel "premium." By keeping the production runs low, they ensure that every drop becomes a "must-have" event. This is great for the brand's prestige but terrible for your wallet.
Take the "Ellie Edition" of Part II. It came with a 12-inch statue of Ellie playing the guitar. At launch, the whole bundle was $229. Today, just that statue alone often sells for more than the original price of the entire collector's box.
How to Start Your Collection Without Going Broke
If you're just starting out, don't aim for the $1,000 statues. You'll burn out.
Start with the Dark Horse PVCs. They are the most accessible. Even if they are "vaulted" (discontinued), you can usually find them for a reasonable markup if you're patient.
Watch the Naughty Dog Gear Store. They occasionally do "restocks" or announce new collaborations that haven't hit the secondary market yet. Signing up for their newsletter is annoying, but it's the only way to get these at MSRP.
Look into the Funko Pops. I know, I know. Some people hate the "big head" aesthetic. But the Joel and Ellie Funkos are actually some of the most affordable ways to own The Last of Us figures. The "Bloater" Funko is particularly cool because it actually captures the fungal textures surprisingly well for a stylized toy.
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The Nendoroid Option
For those who like the "kawaii" or "chibi" look, Good Smile Company released an Ellie Nendoroid. It’s tiny. It’s cute. It comes with a little brick and a bow. It’s also one of the few figures that actually captures her "stealth" mechanics by including different face plates. It’s a weird contrast—seeing a brutal, neck-stabbing character turned into a tiny plastic doll—but it’s a favorite for "toy photographers" on Instagram.
Expert Insight: The Value of "In-Box" vs. "Out-of-Box"
In most collecting circles, keeping things "mint in box" (MIB) is the golden rule. But with The Last of Us figures, the community is a bit different. Because the fans are so attached to the story, many people prefer to display them in "dioramas."
If you buy a figure with the intention of selling it in five years, keep the box. Store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. UV rays are the enemy of plastic; they will fade Ellie’s flannel shirt and turn Joel’s skin a weird shade of greenish-yellow.
However, if you want to actually enjoy your collection, take them out. These figures are designed to be seen. Just keep the packaging tucked away in a closet. A complete-in-box (CIB) figure that has been displayed is still worth significantly more than a "loose" figure with no accessories.
What’s Coming Next?
With the success of the HBO show, we are seeing a resurgence in merch. We're starting to see more "TV-accurate" figures that look like Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. This creates a whole new branch for collectors. Do you want the game version or the show version?
Purists usually stick to the game versions, but the HBO-inspired figures from companies like Iron Studios are gaining traction. They offer a slightly different aesthetic—more "realistic" and less "stylized" than the original concept art.
Next Steps for Your Collection
- Check the secondary market specifically for "Dark Horse Ellie with Bow" as your entry point; it remains the best balance of price and quality.
- Verify the seller's location on eBay—avoid listings from regions known for mass-producing bootlegs unless the seller has 100% positive feedback and original photos of the box.
- Join a dedicated collector's group on Reddit or Facebook; members often trade or sell to each other at "cost" rather than "market price" to keep the items within the community.
- Invest in a display case with UV-protected glass if you plan on buying anything over the $200 mark to prevent the paint from degrading over time.