Naughty Dog’s Next Game May Be Different Than The Last of Us

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home November 28, 2024 3 Views 6 Min Read
Naughty Dog’s Next Game May Be Different Than The Last of Us



Since the release of The Last of Us‘ final chapter back in 2020, speculation has run rampant about Naughty Dog‘s next big project. Of course, Naughty Dog’s continued focus on The Last of Us through remakes, remasters, and a wildly successful TV show adaptation has resulted in a lot of discussion being centered on a third entry in the trilogy, but Naughty Dog has also confirmed that it is working on something else.



The Last of Us 3
has been confirmed as well, but it will likely come after this new
Naughty Dog
project, as it is reportedly still in pre-production.

The possibility of Naughty Dog pushing ahead with a new IP is tantalizing, especially because the studio has been defined by little more than The Last of Us and Uncharted for the better part of two decades. These are great series, but they are also a far cry from the more over-the-top and less restrained IP of the studio’s past, like Jak & Daxter and Crash Bandicoot. Players may never see a return to these sorts of Naughty Dog titles, but a pivot away from the now-ubiquitous The Last of Us and Uncharted franchises could make for exciting and original games with the potential to redefine the studio moving forward.

Joel Miller having a conversation with Tess in The Last of Us

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Naughty Dog Could Be Making a Science Fiction Game


Sci-Fi Rumors Suggest a Radical Shift from The Last of Us

Though a lot of “evidence” for a new sci-fi game from Naughty Dog is shaky at best, it’s not an inherently ridiculous idea. After all, The Last of Us is technically sci-fi, in the sense that fictional biological elements comprise the backbone of its premise, but it omits the tropes and high-concept storytelling so often associated with the genre. Some of Naughty Dog’s older, all-ages games like Jak & Daxter also incorporated science fiction elements, but they were substantially watered down.

A Science Fiction Game Could Be the Dose of Originality Naughty Dog Needs

With Naughty Dog reportedly working on a new IP, it would be nice to see it move away from the overly realistic, Hollywood-inspired characteristics of its most popular titles. Subtle character writing, conversational dialog, and emotional intimacy are all great, but there’s room for more cerebral, intellectual stories in the company’s portfolio as well.


Adapting the verisimilitude and cinematic qualities of series like The Last of Us and Uncharted to a more fantastical premise could lead to a game that is equal parts moving and thought-provoking, invoking the best aspects of both interpersonal and sci-fi narratives. Through the science-fiction framework, Naughty Dog could better explore themes that it clearly already has an interest in, such as the value of human life, the role of government control in society, and public health.

There is a notion among some audiences that science fiction is somehow less refined or sophisticated than more grounded stories, but that has been proven false time and time again. A creatively untethered sci-fi story has just as much potential to be emotional and heartwrenching as a more sober, character-driven story, and with Naughty Dog’s proven track record for penning compelling narratives with likable characters at the forefront, the sci-fi genre could be the perfect place for it to make its mark.


Hard-hitting and well-written sci-fi franchises like Mass Effect and Dead Space have been long dormant, so Naughty Dog throwing its hat into the ring could be just what the genre needs. Moreover, it could be precisely what Naughty Dog needs, as the studio may be in danger of becoming too defined by just The Last of Us, its most widely recognized series.

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