Neil Druckmann, the Studio Head and Head of Creative at Naughty Dog, recently teased his next project as the “most thrilling yet.”
The Last of Us Part I (2022), Naughty Dog
In an interview with Sony regarding the evolution of storytelling across mediums, Druckmann was asked if he could “share a personal vision or dream project” he hopes to realize in the future.
Druckmann responded, “I’ve been lucky to work on several dream projects and am currently excited about a new one, which is perhaps the most thrilling yet. There’s a growing appreciation for gaming that transcends all age groups, unlike when I was growing up. This shift is highlighted by our venture into television with The Last of Us, which I hoped would bridge the gap between gamers and non-gamers. The show’s success has spotlighted gaming, illustrating the rich, immersive experiences it offers.”
“This visibility excites me not only for our current project but for the broader potential of gaming to captivate a global audience. I’m eager to see how this new game resonates, especially following the success of The Last of Us, as it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming,” he concluded.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection (2015), Naughty Dog
It’s unclear what this project is and Druckmann, Naughty Dog, and Sony have been mum about it. In fact, Druckmann told ComicBook.com in January 2023 that announcing Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part 2 was detrimental to the company especially its employees’ work-life balance.
He informed the outlet, “You’re right, we did announce Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part 2 way in advance, but that actually caused a little bit of the work-life balance issues that we’ve sometimes had at the studio. By delaying that announcement a bit, we could play with the schedule more and we’re more conscious now about how we’re approaching production. So there’s our [The Last of Us] multiplayer project and there’s another project that I will not say anything about that’s beyond that that we’re also very much excited for.”
Abby in The Last of Us Part II (2020), Naughty Dog
It’s clear this new game will be a brand new endeavor. In fact, Druckmann discussed the creative freedom that Sony provides the company in his interview with the company, “One important aspect not directly linked to production or Sony Interactive Entertainment’s technology is the creative freedom that the company provides. You have to take risks to find new ideas that connect with audiences, and even though Uncharted was a chart-topping success, it was important for our studio to innovate again with a new franchise like The Last of Us.”
“Many companies would insist on sticking to profitable franchises, but SIE’s culture and philosophy empower us to pursue new ideas. Art requires risk; You can’t engineer perfectly and predict how successful it will be. I’m incredibly thankful that SIE trusts us to leverage our past successes to explore brand new creative avenues,” he concluded.
Nathan Drake in Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection (2022), Naughty Dog
Druckmann previously discussed this upcoming project with Logic back in February. He said, “Even working on this new game and it’s really ambitious. Parts of it really hard. But I’ve really kind of surrendered to knowing it’s going to be really hard, knowing it’s going to stress members of the team out.”
What do you make of Druckmann’s comments that this new game could “redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming?”
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Trash. Who cares what the “mainstream perceptions of gaming” are?