Neil Druckmann, the president of Naughty Dog, has indicated that a sequel to The Last of Us Part 2 may not be on the horizon. He noted that despite earlier discussions about a concept for The Last of Us Part 3, the future of the franchise remains uncertain. This statement comes as the studio has shifted its focus towards a new intellectual property, recently unveiling Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a sci-fi action-adventure game for the PS5.
Druckmann Discusses The Last of Us Part 3
In an interview regarding The Last of Us season 2, published by Variety, Druckmann addressed various topics, including casting decisions and story adaptations for the highly anticipated HBO series set to debut on April 13. Amidst discussing the show’s developments, he provided insight into the potential creation of a third installment in the video game series.
“I was waiting for this question,” Druckmann remarked when inquired about the possibility of a third game. “I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of ‘Last of Us.’ This could be it.”
This shift in tone marks a departure from Druckmann’s earlier comments, wherein he expressed enthusiasm about the possibilities for a third game. In a documentary detailing the making of The Last of Us Part 2, he had revealed that he had finally conceived an idea for a third installment.
“I’ve been just thinking about it, ‘is there a concept there?’ And for years, I haven’t been able to find that concept. But recently, that’s changed, and I don’t have a story, but I do have that concept, which to me is as exciting as 1, as exciting as 2, is its own thing, and yet has this throughline for all three. So it does feel like there’s probably one more chapter to this story,” he explained previously.
Additionally, Naughty Dog had been developing The Last of Us Online, a multiplayer adaptation of the series’ post-apocalyptic universe. However, in December 2023, the studio announced the cancellation of this title to concentrate on single-player experiences.
During The Game Awards 2024 in December, Naughty Dog finally introduced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, marking the studio’s first new intellectual property in nearly twenty years. Druckmann confirmed that development of this sci-fi game for the PS5 commenced in 2020, stating, “This game is shaping up to be our wildest, most creative story yet.”
The Last of Us franchise last saw a mainline entry with The Last of Us Part 2, which was released on the PS4 in 2020. Since that time, the studio has also released a remake of The Last of Us and a remaster of Part 2 for the PS5.
