Naughty Dog Confirms Second Unannounced Game in Development

Neil Druckmann, the head of Naughty Dog, has recently disclosed that the studio is actively developing a second, yet-to-be-announced game alongside Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. In a revealing interview on the Press X to Continue podcast, Druckmann shed light on his multifaceted roles within the Sony-owned studio. He's currently co-directing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet with Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, while collaborating on the narrative with Claire Carré. However, he remained tight-lipped about who is directing the mysterious second project.

Druckmann explained his involvement with the second game, stating, "There’s another game that’s being worked on at Naughty Dog where I am more of a producer role and I get to mentor and watch this other team and give feedback and be like the executive in the room." He expressed enthusiasm for the variety in his roles, saying, "I enjoy all those roles, and the fact I jump between one to the next, it makes my job very exciting and always feeling fresh. I’m never bored."

While the development stages of both games remain undisclosed, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is further along, having already been announced. Speculation abounds regarding the identity of the second game. Could it be The Last of Us 3? Druckmann has previously voiced doubts about continuing the series, yet he has an ending in mind. Given his producer role on the second game, it seems unlikely to be The Last of Us 3, as one might expect him to take a more directorial position for such a significant title.

Another possibility is a new installment in the Uncharted series, absent since 2017's The Lost Legacy. Alternatively, Naughty Dog might be crafting an entirely new intellectual property, much like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

It's important to acknowledge the uncertainty surrounding this second game; it may never see the light of day or be officially revealed by Sony. Naughty Dog has faced challenges in recent years, notably canceling its The Last of Us multiplayer project to refocus on single-player experiences amidst Sony's apparent shift away from live service games. The decision to halt development on The Last of Us Online in December 2023 was made to avoid diverting all resources to post-launch content, which would have hindered the studio's ability to create new single-player titles.

Historically, Naughty Dog has struggled to juggle two major projects simultaneously, often prioritizing one over the other. The studio's last new release was The Last of Us 2 in 2020, with subsequent efforts focused on remakes and collections.

As for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the game boasts a star-studded cast, including Tati Gabrielle from the Uncharted movie as protagonist Jordan A. Mun, and Kumail Nanjiani of Marvel's Eternals as Colin Graves. Though the game is not slated for release until at least 2027, Druckmann, speaking to IGN at the premiere of The Last of Us Season 2, expressed excitement about its current state, saying, "I will say we are playing it at the office and it's incredible. It's really good. I'm so excited to finally put gameplay out into the world and show people about it, because we just showed you the very, very, very tip on the iceberg. The game goes pretty deep beyond that."