Naughty Dog Teases New Game Rumored to be in Development Since 2020

Naughty Dog CEO Neil Druckmann shared more information about the studio's current project. He said that it is a game that has been in development since 2020.

Druckmann shared the news during an online panel with Ken Levine, noting that they started working on the new game shortly after The Last of Us 2 was released. The studio did not provide much information about the upcoming game by Naughty Dog.

Naughty Dog's Next Game

He did not tell fans about what type of project it is or what development stage it is currently in. However, he did tell players that an announcement is planned to be done sometime in 2025 and the release is hopefully going to be in 2026.

The upcoming title will supposedly not be a part of The Last of Us franchise. This is primarily because Druckmann previously said that they have shifted their focus to the next project. He added that the decision has already been made, according to 80lv.

Druckmann shared that Naughty Dog would always be known as "The Last of Us" studio forever. This came as the developer had many games in the works, including several single-player projects.

Video game industry insider Ben Hanson previously talked about the next project in Naughty Dog's list. He said that the studio was planning to create a game that would offer players a lot of freedom in-game.

Following Druckmann's latest tease, many fans of Naughty Dog are divided about how they feel regarding the time that its next game has been under development. Many people also shared their theories and assumptions as to what kind of game the studio will bring out next, Gaming Bible said.

The Last of Us Franchise

One user said that they remembered reading that the studio wanted to make a science fiction game next. Key-Shock172 said that they would be intrigued to see how that would play out if it were true.

Another user, Coolers78, suggested that Naughty Dog could be working on an entirely new intellectual property (IP). They added that if there is going to be a The Last of Us 3 release, it could come out in 2029 at the earliest.

Druckmann said that the studio was focusing on two single-player games following the cancellation of The Last of Us Online. These are supposedly the third entry in the franchise and the other is still a mystery.

The Naughty Dog CEO said that he was excited while working on the game with the team. He added that it may be the "most excited" he has been in his life, according to Game Spot.