In a statement relayed to the Los Angeles Times, Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann confirmed the studio will create games other than The Last of Us sequels.
This is not very surprising. The Santa Monica-based developer owned by Sony Interactive Entertainment has a history of switching franchises between console generations. It all started with Crash Bandicoot with the original PlayStation console. Despite the great success, Naughty Dog decided to create a new IP when the PlayStation 2 was launched: Jak & Daxter.
The same happened with the PlayStation 3. At this point, Naughty Dog left behind not only the IP but also the platform genre, targeting a more mature audience with Uncharted. Just a few months before the launch of the PlayStation 4, the studio launched The Last of Us, its most acclaimed and best-selling franchise to date. Uncharted wasn’t immediately abandoned like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, appearing for two more games with Uncharted 4 and Lost Legacy, but it is pretty much on the back burner now. The same could eventually happen with The Last of Us, too, despite the success of HBO’s TV show. The studio is now working on ‘multiple projects, ‘ almost certainly brand new intellectual properties.
First, of course, fans are expecting The Last of Us Part III. Druckmann said over three years ago that a story draft was ready, although the game wasn’t in development yet. Back then, Naughty Dog was still focusing on The Last of Us Online, which got canned earlier this year as the studio chose to maintain its single player story-driven focus.
In February, Druckmann publicly shared that Naughty Dog had found an exciting concept for The Last of Us Part III while also teasing it might be the last chapter in the saga. More recently, he revealed the game they’re now making is ‘fresh,’ and he’s excited about how the world will react to it.
What kind of game would you like to see next from this studio? Let us know in the comments!
