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Naughty Dog president and creative head Neil Druckmann recently spoke with Variety in a new interview. Renowned for his work on the first two Uncharted games, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and both The Last of Us games, Druckmann also co-created and wrote the first two seasons of the HBO adaptation of The Last of Us.
Two months ago, we learned he would reduce his involvement with the TV series. In this interview with Variety, he explained why that decision was made and hinted at new developments in the Last of Us franchise.
“It was right when we were about to start the writers’ room for Season 3. I looked at what lay ahead, what Season 3 might look like, and considering all the ‘Last of Us’ projects I’m working on—both the show and upcoming games, particularly our next big IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Profit—the biggest one that takes up most of my time—it felt like I could better serve my responsibilities if I stayed at a higher level.”
Is this a hint at The Last of Us Part III? Six months ago, Druckmann seemed to dampen fans’ hopes by implying the franchise might not expand further. However, two and a half months later, he said he would make that third installment only if Naughty Dog could come up with a worthy concept and story. Has that happened yet? We’ll likely have to wait several years to find out, as the studio is currently focused on their new sci-fi IP, Intergalactic Prophet.
Druckmann also discussed this project in his chat with Variety, noting its size and cost. He hinted that it will feature evolved gameplay similar to how The Last of Us advanced from Uncharted.
“We’re in the thick of it. We’re making it, we’re playing it. We’re firing on all cylinders. It’s the most ambitious game we’ve ever made. It’s the most expansive, maybe the most expensive by the time we finish it. Troy Baker is in the game, and it was a lot of fun to be on stage with him again after five years.”
“You could look at our previous titles and see the evolution from ‘Uncharted,’ where we were cutting our teeth on realistic character-action games, third-person shooters combined with emotional storytelling. With ‘The Last of Us,’ we added RPG elements, we started playing with wide linear layouts. Continue that trajectory forward, add sci-fi, and you start to get a sense of what we’re doing. So really looking forward to see how it all comes together. I think you’re all going to be pleasantly surprised by it.”
Again, the details remain unclear. Druckmann wouldn’t commit to a specific reveal date for the game, and it’s unlikely to launch before 2027, according to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier.
