Neil Druckmann Aims for 'Lost and Confused' Feel in Naughty Dog's New Game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

Neil Druckmann, the director behind the acclaimed series The Last of Us, has recently provided exciting insights into Naughty Dog's next project, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. During an interview with Alex Garland, known for his work on the film 28 Days Later, Druckmann discussed the game's development, which has been ongoing for four years.

Druckmann humorously reflected on the reception of The Last of Us 2, saying, "We made a game, The Last of Us 2, we made certain creative decisions that got us a lot of hate. A lot of people love it, but a lot of people hate that game." Garland responded lightheartedly, "Who gives a shit?" Druckmann agreed, adding, "Exactly. But the joke is like, you know what, let's do something that people won't care as much about — let's make a game about faith and religion."

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Screenshots

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Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet introduces players to a unique alternate historical timeline, featuring a "pretty prominent religion" that has evolved significantly over time. The game follows protagonist Jordan A. Mun, portrayed by Tati Gabrielle, as she navigates the challenges of being a bounty hunter who crash lands on a mysterious planet. Her mission is to uncover the planet's secrets and find a way to escape, a feat no one has accomplished in centuries.

Druckmann shared more about the game's setting and narrative, saying, "This whole religion takes place on this one planet, and then at one point, all communication stops. And you're playing a bounty hunter that's chasing her bounty, and she crash lands on this planet. So many of the previous games we've done, there's always, like, an ally with you. I really want you to be lost in a place that you're really confused about what happened here, who are the people here, what was their history. And in order to get off this planet — again, no one has been heard from this planet for 600 years or so — if you ever have hoped to have a chance to get off, you have to figure out what happened here."

In other news, The Last of Us Season 2 showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have confirmed the return of spores, which were notably absent in Season 1. At SXSW 2025, Druckmann elaborated on the changes, stating, "There is an escalation of numbers and types of infected, but also, as you see in the trailer, an escalation of the vector of how this thing spreads. Season 1, we had this new thing that wasn’t in the game of these tendrils that spread, and that was one form. And then one shot you see in this trailer, there are things in the air."

Additionally, actress Kaitlyn Dever shared her experiences playing Abby in The Last of Us Season 2, admitting the challenge of not getting swayed by online reactions.