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

In a recent revelation on the Press X to Continue podcast, Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann disclosed that the studio is actively working on a secret, unannounced game in addition to their already announced project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Druckmann, who is deeply involved in Intergalactic as a co-writer alongside narrative director Claire Carré and working with game directors Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, mentioned that he takes on a more producer-focused role for the mystery project. This role allows him to mentor a separate team and offer executive oversight, which keeps his work dynamic and invigorating.

While the development stages of both games remain undisclosed, it's reasonable to infer that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is further along, given its public announcement. Speculation abounds about the nature of the second game. Could it be The Last of Us 3? Druckmann's previous comments suggest he has an ending in mind but has expressed uncertainty about its development. However, his producer role on the new game suggests it might not be The Last of Us 3, as one would expect him to be more directly involved in such a significant project.

Another possibility is a new entry in the Uncharted series, which hasn't seen a new release since The Lost Legacy in 2017. Alternatively, it could be an entirely new intellectual property, similar to Intergalactic. However, given Naughty Dog's history and recent challenges, including the cancellation of The Last of Us Online to prioritize single-player games, there's always a risk that this second game might not see the light of day or could be kept under wraps indefinitely.

Naughty Dog has faced difficulties juggling multiple large-scale projects simultaneously, often prioritizing one over the other. Their last original release was The Last of Us Part II in 2020, followed by remakes and collections. As for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, featuring stars like Tati Gabrielle and Kumail Nanjiani, it's not slated for release until at least 2027. Despite the wait, Druckmann expressed excitement about the game's progress, noting that it's already playable and "really good," hinting at a deep and engaging experience beyond what has been revealed so far.