Neil Druckmann, the esteemed head of Naughty Dog, recently unveiled during an interview on the Press X to Continue podcast that the studio is secretly developing a second game alongside the already announced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. While working on Intergalactic with directors Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, and co-writing with narrative director Claire Carré, Druckmann hinted at a more producer-centric role for the mysterious second project, where he enjoys mentoring and guiding the development team.
Druckmann's enthusiasm for his varied roles at Naughty Dog shines through, as he finds the constant shift between different responsibilities keeps his work exciting and fresh. However, he remained tight-lipped about the specifics of the second game, leaving fans to speculate on what it might be. Could it be the much-anticipated The Last of Us 3? Despite Druckmann's previous reservations and his vision for the game's ending, his producer role suggests it might not be that. Another possibility is a new Uncharted installment, given the franchise's last entry, The Lost Legacy, was released in 2017. Alternatively, Naughty Dog might be crafting an entirely new intellectual property.
It's important to consider that this second game may never see the light of day or be officially announced by Sony, given Naughty Dog's recent challenges. The cancellation of The Last of Us Online in December 2023 to focus on single-player games reflects the studio's strategic shift amid broader changes at Sony regarding live service titles. Historically, Naughty Dog has found it challenging to juggle two major projects simultaneously, often prioritizing one over the other. The studio's last new game release was The Last of Us Part II in 2020, followed by remakes and collections.
As for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, it boasts a notable cast including Tati Gabrielle from the Uncharted movie and Kumail Nanjiani from Marvel's Eternals. Although the game's release is not expected until 2027 at the earliest, Druckmann shared his excitement about its current state. Speaking at the red carpet event for The Last of Us Season 2 premiere, he confirmed that the game is playable and described it as "really good," teasing that the gameplay showcased so far is just the tip of the iceberg.
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Neil Druckmann says Naughty Dog is working on a second game. Photo by Rich Polk/Deadline via Getty Images.
