The Last Of Us Director Confirms He's Writing And Directing A New Game

Neil Druckmann, the co-studio head of Naughty Dog, has confirmed his involvement in writing and directing an undisclosed game, as revealed on his Instagram. His bio now ends "writer/director unannounced game."

Amidst speculation about the upcoming game, which could potentially be The Last of Us: Part 3--but with plenty of evidence to the contrary, also--there are also whispers of a new intellectual property taking shape at the California studio. Over the past three-plus years since The Last of Us: Part II's release, Naughty Dog has been busy remaking the original game and venturing into television. However, the previously underway standalone multiplayer spin-off has been reset during these undertakings.

In an interview earlier this year, Druckmann said Naughty Dog has as of March already chosen what its next game will be--but won't reveal what it actually is. "I know the fans really want The Last Of Us Part III, I hear about it all the time," he told Kinda Funny. "All I can say is that we're already into our next project, the decision has already been made. I can't say what it is."

Late last year, eagle-eyed fans playing through the The Last of Us Part 1 remake believe they found some art in the game that is teasing the studio's next game. Players noticed a collection of imaginative images portraying fantastical scenes not present in the original release: a warrior confronting a fire-breathing dragon, a serpent-like creature entwined around a triangular moon, and a depiction of a horned pegasus.

If it is The Last of Us Part III, Druckmann has been on record since 2021 in saying a plot outline exists--if the studio wants to go in that direction.

Given the development cycles typical of the PS5 era, it'll likely be a while before anything of this upcoming game sees the light of day. It's possible that the next project will not be the long-brewing The Last of Us multiplayer game, which has reportedly been slowed and scaled down.