If Naughty Dog’s New IP is a Hit, The Studio May Have a Winning Combo

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 3, 2024 9 Views 7 Min Read
If Naughty Dog’s New IP is a Hit, The Studio May Have a Winning Combo



With news and speculation beginning to gain traction around Naughty Dog’s next new IP, should the rumored sci-fi game be a hit, the studio could have a winning formula between it and its survival horror The Last of Us series. Rumors about a new sci-fi IP have been circulating Naughty Dog since it appeared focused more on The Last of Us than its earlier series Uncharted. However, with The Last of Us facing risks of fatigue among fans due to several remakes and remasters, a change of pace with a new IP could be what the studio needs to balance its development cycle.




Yet while there are other rumors about the third The Last of Us game or an Uncharted 5, Naughty Dog might benefit from exploring other creative options beyond supernatural and survival horror with its new sci-fi IP. As an alternative to the ongoing The Last of Us success with its high likelihood of new games and a second season of its TV adaptation, a new IP could offer something new from Naughty Dog based on speculative details like the game being open-world. Naughty Dog can then split development and releases between The Last of Us and this new IP to maintain the momentum of its success.

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Naughty Dog is likely working on a new IP, and it will be interesting to see how far the developer strays from its other flagship series.

After Uncharted and The Last of Us, Naughty Dog’s New Sci-Fi IP Sounds Promising


Since the first PlayStation and the original Crash Bandicoot trilogy, Naughty Dog has a proven approach to development which typically produces well-received games, ranging from its follow-up Jak and Daxter to the more recent The Last of Us. However, the studio also has a history of transitioning away from its past franchises and moving on to its next project, but this often favors its newer games and future IPs, leading to their success. For instance, Naughty Dog launched Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune on the PlayStation 3 with similar success when it released Crash Bandicoot on the PlayStation and Jak and Daxter on the PlayStation 2.

But with Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End appearing to conclude protagonist Nathan Drake’s story and the following attempted spin-off, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, it seems that Naughty Dog has remained committed to its The Last of Us series. Despite this, the studio has kept quiet about whether it will continue the Uncharted series, so rumors about a new IP could indicate that Naughty Dog has plans for where its development will go next. Potentially offering a creative break from Uncharted‘s action-adventure and The Last of Us‘ post-apocalypse, a sci-fi game could give the studio new development options to explore.


Naughty Dog’s New IP Might Take After The Last of Us

Though details about Naughty Dog’s rumored sci-fi IP are still sparse, this hasn’t prevented theories about how the new game would compare or even work with the studio’s existing series like The Last of Us. For example, speculation has already claimed that Naughty Dog’s new IP could continue its horror trend due to the studio’s familiarity with the subject matter and gameplay. However, looking back on Naughty Dog’s history of games also suggests that the studio tries to innovate with each new IP it develops, meaning that its rumored sci-fi IP could be significantly different from The Last of Us in terms of story, gameplay, and design.

Naughty Dog’s New IP Should Work With The Last of Us, Not Against

But this doesn’t mean that Naughty Dog’s new IP and The Last of Us should have an antagonistic relationship, as the studio could establish a healthy development cycle between the two series provided that the new IP is as successful as past games. Even if Naughty Dog prioritizes its new IP over The Last of Us for now, it could be refreshing for fans and players to alternate away from zombie survival horror every other game. This should help prolong the multimedia lifespan of The Last of Us while simultaneously generating interest and intrigue around its new IP and the future development of Naughty Dog.


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