Creative Director Neil Druckmann emphasizes the importance of quality storytelling.
The HBO Max adaptation of Naughty Dog's beloved series, The Last of Us, received widespread acclaim since its release earlier this year, prompting fans to speculate whether a third game might be on the horizon. Neil Druckmann, the creative force behind The Last of Us, expressed openness to continuing the saga—but only under specific conditions.
A critical factor for Druckmann is ensuring that any new installment has a narrative deserving of The Last of Us franchise. Druckmann consistently prioritizes quality storytelling above simply expanding the series, an approach evident in his past work.
"While I am the caretaker of this franchise, whatever the title is that Sony has entrusted me with, it's important for me that everything is of high quality. I don't want to just make a lot of it. I want to just be very thoughtful about everything that we make," Druckmann said in an interview with Sacred Symbols.
"When we did the show, now we've teamed up with, I feel like, the best TV-makers, with HBO. We're making the best version of it. If we were ever to come back to it, I want to make sure that it's a story worthy of The Last of Us. I love that world. I love these characters. With the right opportunity, yeah, I would totally jump at it."
To date, the series has consisted of two main games, both of which have been remastered—the original title receiving two remastered versions itself. Additionally, a live-service spin-off was in development but ultimately shelved as Naughty Dog shifted its focus back toward single-player experiences. Currently, the studio is working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and at least one other undisclosed project. Druckmann has previously mentioned he has a concept ready for The Last of Us: Part III, believing there could indeed be "one more chapter to the story."
Although Druckmann is involved with another Naughty Dog project beyond Intergalactic, he has adopted more of a producer role, allowing him to guide and mentor the team handling this mystery game.
Source: GameSpot
