Naughty Dog Developing Second Unannounced Game, Confirms Neil Druckmann

Neil Druckmann, the head of Naughty Dog, recently disclosed in an interview with the Press X to Continue podcast that the studio is actively developing a second, undisclosed game alongside Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Druckmann, who is involved in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet as a co-writer with narrative director Claire Carré and working with game directors Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau, takes on a different role for the mystery project.

For this secret game, Druckmann assumes a producer role, where he mentors the team and provides executive oversight. He expressed his enjoyment in juggling multiple roles, stating, "I enjoy all those roles, and the fact I jump between one to the next, it makes my job very exciting and always feeling fresh. I’m never bored."

While the development stages of both games remain undisclosed, it's speculated that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet might be further along, given its official announcement. Speculation about the second game abounds, with fans wondering if it could be The Last of Us 3. However, Druckmann's producer role suggests it might not be that, as he has expressed a desire for a more hands-on directorial role in any potential sequel. Another possibility is a new Uncharted game, considering the last new entry was in 2017, or it could be an entirely new intellectual property.

It's important to note that the second game's future is uncertain. Naughty Dog has faced challenges in recent years, including the cancellation of The Last of Us Online in December 2023 to focus on single-player experiences. Historically, the studio has struggled to develop two major projects simultaneously, often prioritizing one over the other. The last new game from Naughty Dog was The Last of Us 2 in 2020, with subsequent releases being remakes and collections.

As for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, it boasts an impressive cast, including Tati Gabrielle from the Uncharted movie as protagonist Jordan A. Mun, and Kumail Nanjiani from Marvel's Eternals as Colin Graves. Despite not expecting a release until 2027 at the earliest, Druckmann shared with IGN that the game is already playable and "really good." He added, "I will say we are playing it at the office and it's incredible... It's really good. I'm so excited to finally put gameplay out into the world and show people about it, because we just showed you the very, very, very tip on the iceberg. The game goes pretty deep beyond that."