Naughty Dog’s upcoming sci-fi game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, has raised eyebrows for its seemingly deliberate focus on religion—particularly a critical portrayal of faith that echoes the company’s broader creative trajectory under Neil Druckmann. While the Intergalactic has been described as a deep exploration of faith and belief systems, early details suggest it is less about thoughtful discussion and more about targeted critique, with Christianity appearing to be the primary subject of scrutiny.
A Fictional Religion Rooted in Familiar Criticism
Set 2,000 years in the future but diverging from history in the late 1980s, Intergalactic introduces a dominant religion that has evolved over centuries.
Druckmann has emphasized how much time was spent developing this fictional faith, detailing how it has changed and been “bastardized” over time. This mirrors a common narrative in media where Christianity is unfairly framed as being outdated, hypocritical, or oppressive. The fact that the game’s timeline diverges in the 1980s—a decade often associated with a resurgence of Christian conservatism in the U.S.—further suggests that this religion’s portrayal will be a thinly veiled critique of modern Christian faith.
Neil Druckmann speaking at the 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, for “The Last of Us”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
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According to leaked details, the protagonist, a bounty hunter, finds herself stranded on a planet where this religion has flourished. The mystery revolves around what happened to its followers, with much of the game’s plot seemingly built around deconstructing their beliefs. Druckmann has explicitly stated that he wanted to make a game about faith and religion, which raises concerns given his track record with narratives that seek to subvert traditional values rather than engage with them meaningfully.
A Pattern of Disrespect Toward Faith
Naughty Dog is no stranger to controversy when it comes to pushing divisive themes. The Last of Us Part 2 polarized audiences with its heavy-handed storytelling, and it seems Druckmann has not moved past the backlash. Instead of returning to solid gameplay and engaging narratives, Intergalactic appears poised to continue the trend of ideology-driven storytelling by targeting Christianity.
This development is emblematic of a broader trend within the gaming industry. As companies grow and their corporate structures expand, their creative direction often shifts away from the foundational principles that once made them great.
I knew the Naughty Dog (and Insomniac) guys when the company started and they were solid gamers not secularist psuedo-philosophers taking passive aggressive, bitchy pot-shots at Christianity.
As administrators and human resources grow in companies, they all merge to the left.… https://t.co/I1Mx8pebLk
— Doug TenNapel (blue check implied) (@DougTenNapel) March 12, 2025
This phenomenon was aptly described by Doug TenNapel, avowed Christian and the creator of Earthworm Jim.
“I knew the Naughty Dog (and Insomniac) guys when the company started and they were solid gamers, not secularist pseudo-philosophers taking passive-aggressive pot-shots at Christianity,” he said in resonse to the Intergalactic drama. “As administrators and human resources grow in companies, they all merge to the left. That goes for American universities and hospitals too; most were started by conservative Christians then turn into institutions that don’t produce the quality of yesteryear. Conservative people of faith don’t need to create a parallel market; we need to create a viable market where games are rooted in merit of gameplay, not philosophy of the owners or the cinematics tacked on at the end.”
The main character for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet – YouTube, Naughty Dog
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TenNapel’s point highlights the shift that has taken place in studios like Naughty Dog. Once known for gameplay innovation and compelling narratives, the company now seems more invested in using its platform to push an agenda.
Intergalactic is just the latest example of this shift, with its focus on faith likely to alienate a significant portion of the audience.
Why Christianity is Always the Target
A key issue raised by critics of Intergalactic is why Christianity is so frequently the subject of scrutiny in media while other religions remain untouched. There are plenty of faith traditions around the world with unique histories and moral complexities, yet Hollywood and the gaming industry repeatedly focus their critiques on Christianity. This selective targeting raises legitimate concerns about bias and intentional cultural messaging.
The Last of Us Part I (2022), Naughty Dog
Many gamers are asking: Would Naughty Dog ever create a game that critiques Buddhism, Islam, or Hinduism in the same way? The answer is almost certainly no. Christianity remains an easy target because it is deeply embedded in Western culture, making it a convenient subject for those who wish to challenge traditional values without facing significant pushback.
The Future of Gaming: A Crossroads for Developers and Consumers
As more developers move toward philosophy-driven storytelling, the gaming industry is at a crossroads. Consumers are growing tired of narratives that prioritize messaging over entertainment. Games should be engaging and fun, not platforms for ideological lectures. Naughty Dog was once at the forefront of gaming excellence, but with Intergalactic, it appears the studio is more concerned with making statements against Christianity than making great games.
The challenge now falls to players and creators alike. As TenNapel suggests, the solution is not just to create alternative markets but to ensure that quality gaming experiences take priority over ideological agendas.
Neil Druckmann in an interview with Jonatan Blomberg for MovieZine. Photo Credit: Jonatan Blomberg, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
With Intergalactic set to release in the near future, it remains to be seen just how overt its themes will be. But given Naughty Dog’s recent history, it’s safe to assume that faith—particularly Christianity—will once again be placed under the microscope with Intergalactic in a way that serves an agenda rather than meaningful storytelling.
Do you think Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will target Christianity? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
Neil Druckmann is an Israeli. That tells you everything you need to know on the topic.
The woke hate religion in general. Like all communists, they despise any competing ideology. Russia tried for decades to suppress the Orthodox Church and had to resort to imprisoning and executing priests who were too public. China tried to quash Taoism and other spiritual practices during the Cultural Revolution and failed miserably because they’re too tightly interwoven into Chinese culture.
This hatred and derision of Christianity is just like the Cultural Revolution. Druckmann is just following the party line by doing this and it’s going as well as every other attempt: poorly and merely building up massive backlash.
Correct. The two masters Jesus spoke of were God and money, but it’s also true of God and woke ideology. Anyone truly woke will forsake their own religion in favor of woke ideology no matter what their original religion may proclaim.
Soviets had some success putting Christians under control, though. By that, I mean they succeeded in creating a state-controlled church with every place of prayer to be swarmed with their agents and priests being literally appointed by KGB.
I remembered about it because someone posted a passport from USSR for one of the main, current orthodox church leader\priest. He is literally a KGB worker from the past.
And that structure held extremely well. It IS holding extremely well now because it literally is serving their government.
I hate to get political, but one of the reasons Ukrainians banned its division of Moscow orthodox church was exactly for this reason. It was like giving enemy’s secret service a free pass.
How did she get so strong, you may ask?
100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and 10km run. Every single day! No heat! No AC!
She trained so hard she went bald.
I bet it is space radiation. Or perhaps, evil religion they created for this game is so evil that it literally gives cancer to its followers.
Neil: get it guys, GET IT? Because religion is a cancer! *Damn, I am so smart*–Neil.
Just another piece of media, trying to bad mouth christianity, made by someone who doesn’t know a single thing about christianity.
I said something regarding that interview, and now I will just repeat it here.
People like Neil have a very strong feeling regarding this one religion. It is not Islam, not Buddhism or Hindu.
No, it is another religion. They, their progressive circles, mocked it for decades misrepresenting it in movies games and books. It would be terrifying to a normal person if their feelings regarding it could be visualized. They hate it with such passion that many people never had experienced.
This game’s religion will not be based on any other religion but this one.
I just want to know how in their minds they find the right answer for this equation: this religion is stupid, outdated and just one big joke. And yet they cannot shut up about it. Furthermore, they have been thoroughly consistent in their opinions toward it. Their own faith is at war with this religion that they hate.
On a Saturday, they respectfully bend the knee when they pass a mosque. On Sunday they spit when they pass a Christian church.
I am all for freedom of speech, I do not want it limited in regard to any religion. But when I see how people who have created many taboos regarding a wide set of things and other religions openly hate on this specific religion, I despise them. I hope that more than anything, people who wake up to recognize this cult simply call these people evil. They are evil people who pretend or sincerely believe that they are the modern good.