Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann Confirms Second Unannounced Game in Development

Naughty Dog's creative director, Neil Druckmann, recently shared exciting news about the studio's future projects during an interview on the Press X to Continue podcast. In addition to the highly anticipated Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Druckmann revealed that Naughty Dog is simultaneously developing another unannounced game. This second project sees Druckmann stepping into a more producer-focused role, where he mentors the team and provides executive oversight.

Druckmann expressed his enthusiasm for the diversity of his roles, noting that switching between different responsibilities keeps his work invigorating and prevents boredom. While working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Druckmann collaborates with game directors Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, and co-writes the narrative with Claire Carré. However, he did not disclose the director involved with the second, secret game.

Although the development stages of both projects remain undisclosed, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is further along since it has been officially announced. Speculation abounds about the identity of the second game. It might not be The Last of Us 3, given Druckmann's comments about his limited involvement, which contrasts with the hands-on approach he'd likely take for such a significant title. Another possibility is a new Uncharted game, considering the franchise's last main entry was in 2017 with The Lost Legacy. Alternatively, Naughty Dog could be crafting an entirely new intellectual property, similar to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

It's important to approach this news with cautious optimism, as there's no guarantee that the second game will see the light of day or be officially revealed by Sony. Naughty Dog has faced challenges in recent years, including the cancellation of its ambitious The Last of Us Online project in December 2023 to prioritize single-player experiences amid Sony's apparent shift away from live service games.

Historically, Naughty Dog has found it challenging to juggle two major projects simultaneously, often prioritizing one over the other. Since the release of The Last of Us Part II in 2020, the studio has focused on remakes and collections rather than new titles.

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet 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. While fans eagerly await its release, expected no earlier than 2027, Druckmann assured IGN on the red carpet of The Last of Us Season 2 premiere that the game is already playable and "really good." He hinted at the depth of the game, promising much more than what has been shown so far.