https://www.businessinsider.com/hbos-the-last-of-us-episode-three-review-bombed-homophobic-2023-1
Neil Druckmann, the co-creator of the series who also developed the video game, told The Hollywood Reporter that Bill and Frank's relationship "went over a lot of people's heads" in the game.
"At the time, [the subtlety is] what helped get it in," he said. "It's sad to say, but it would have been controversial otherwise."
You made that leaf one up but there really was a Playstation game which was 4 hours long where you play as a flower petal blowing in the wind.
Yeah, Flow! That game was nice!