Naughty Dog’s upcoming Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet continues to stir controversy every time it’s mentioned.
Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog appear to be repeating a familiar strategy: provoke controversy, mock the backlash, and then weaponize identity politics when legitimate criticism inevitably follows.
The main character for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet – YouTube, PlayStation
Tati Gabrielle, the actress leading Naughty Dog’s upcoming sci-fi game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, is now being framed as a victim-in-training. In new promotional interviews, Gabrielle and Druckmann claim she’s undergoing an emotional “bootcamp” to prepare her for the type of fan response seen during the backlash to The Last of Us Part II. Gabrielle cites the experience of Laura Bailey, who played the divisive character Abby, as part of her preparation.
“Neil’s been bootcamp-ing me,” Gabrielle told Entertainment Weekly. “I know Troy’s experience, I know Ashley’s experience… I know Laura Bailey’s experience.”
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
She continued: “I got a lot of love, but there was a lot of hate over me being a woman, me being a woman of color, me having my head shaved, all these things that I didn’t even actually initially see — I’m out of the social media zeitgeist for that reason — but once I did, Neil was like, ‘Ignore it. No matter what, me and you, we’re going to make something beautiful. We’re going to make something that we’re proud of.’”
Gabrielle also said she was entering the gaming space cautiously.
“This is a world — video games — that I’ve never stepped into before,” she said. “So I don’t want to put one thing in my mind of expecting it’s going to be this way and then it’s not, and then I’m unprepared or take it too lightly.”
The trailer dislike ratio for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet on YouTube – YouTube, PlayStation
But this narrative doesn’t quite add up—especially when you look at what Gabrielle posted online just last year, shortly after the game’s announcement trailer was ratioed into oblivion.
The trailer for Intergalactic, first revealed at The Game Awards in 2024, received an overwhelming wave of negative responses on both the PlayStation and Naughty Dog YouTube pages. And what did Gabrielle do in response?
She mocked the audience.
A meme shared on social media mocking critics by Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet actress Tati Gabrielle – Instagram, Tati Gabrielle
On her Instagram stories, Gabrielle shared an illustration of her character and CCDPR’s Ciri (who is replacing Geralt as the protagonist in the next Witcher game) sipping from drinks labeled “Fragile Masculini-Tea” made from “100% Incel Tears.”
The caption? “Sooo DEI-licious!” The post was topped with a taunt aimed squarely at critics: “you mad bro?”
There was no nuance. No room for dialogue. Just open mockery toward anyone who had concerns about the direction of the game or its messaging.
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
Meanwhile, Druckmann has made it clear he expects controversy again. Speaking with 28 Days Later director Alex Garland, Druckmann reflected on The Last of Us Part II backlash:
“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,” he said.
Garland replied: “Who gives a s***?”
“Exactly,” Druckmann agreed.
Abby in The Last of Us Part II (2020), Naughty Dog
Then he added sarcastically: “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.”
It’s not hard to see what’s going on here. Naughty Dog, once beloved for its storytelling craftsmanship, has increasingly embraced a PR model that leans heavily on cultural antagonism. The studio pushes deliberately provocative narratives, anticipates outrage, and then uses that outrage as a shield against legitimate criticism.
By framing dissent as hate, and painting audiences as hateful for not applauding every creative decision, they can sidestep the real issue: fans simply didn’t like what they were sold.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered (2024), Naughty Dog
There is a difference between defending actors from actual harassment and labeling all critical discourse as harassment. Gabrielle’s earlier post proves she wasn’t wounded by the criticism—she was celebrating it. And now she and Druckmann want to recast her as a victim.
This isn’t just disingenuous. It’s manipulative.
If Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet fails to land with audiences, don’t expect introspection, expect controversy. Expect another round of think pieces blaming the audience, praising the “bravery” of the developers, and doubling down on the very strategy that pushed many fans away to begin with.
The Last of Us Part I (2022), Naughty Dog
Mocking fans with memes while claiming emotional fragility isn’t a good look. It’s a PR contradiction—and audiences are tired of it.
How do you feel about all the Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet controversy? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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