Naughty Dog has two new The Last of Us projects and will not say what either of them is
Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann has revealed new mystery The Last of Us projects — set to push the series into unfamiliar territory.
If you thought The Last of Us was just about Joel, Ellie and that endlessly grim trek across post-apocalyptic America, Naughty Dog wants you to think again. The studio marked its annual TLOU Day by teasing not one but two new projects set in that universe, and honestly, they sound like a proper shake-up rather than just a lazy rehash.
Both projects will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II.
That line came directly from Neil Druckmann himself, the chief creative mind over at Naughty Dog, via a blog post that’s stirred up more speculation than your mate’s WhatsApp group after a dodgy post-credits scene. Druckmann isn’t giving away whether we’re getting Part III, a spin-off, or something completely off-piste — only that whatever these two things are, they’re charting new territory for the franchise.
So, What’s Actually Happening?
So far, the The Last of Us universe has meant two core games and HBO’s TV adaptation, which, to be fair, has been a rare bit of gold for game-to-screen efforts. The telly show’s managed an IMDb score of 8.4, not to mention Season 1 at 96% and Season 2 still comfortably up at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
One character who could pop up again, at least as far as previous hints go, is Tommy Miller. Druckmann’s floated ideas for a Tommy-focused story before — the show’s writers even tweaked his arc in Season 2. Still, there’s nothing official linking the new games to him, and Naughty Dog hasn’t piped up about a confirmed Part 3, for all the rumour-mongering online.
Notes on Creative Direction
The studio’s made it crystal clear they’re not bothered about churning out sequels just for a paycheque. Druckmann says The Last of Us means 'a great deal' to Naughty Dog, and if they do return, it’ll be to tell a story they think is genuinely worth the ink. So, don’t expect endless clickers just because it shifts copies — from all appearances, these next projects are meant to push the story somewhere new and actually interesting.
The TV adaptation of The Last of Us boasts a second season Rotten Tomatoes score of 92%.
Current Priorities for Naughty Dog
As it stands, these two secretive TLOU projects aren’t even the next thing out the door from Naughty Dog. They’re currently focused on their upcoming single-player, sci-fi action adventure called Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. That’s where the team’s attention is sitting, so anyone desperate for more mushroom-zombie drama will need a bit of patience.
- Naughty Dog has two new titles in the early stages of development for The Last of Us universe
- These projects will move beyond the storylines of Part I and II
- Tommy Miller might return, but nothing official has been confirmed
- HBO adaptation remains a critical success with solid audience numbers
- Naughty Dog’s currently prioritising Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet before any new TLOU release
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