Neil Druckmann Says Naughty Dog 'Isn't Done' With THE LAST OF US and Has a Couple of Projects in the Works — GeekTyrant

The future of The Last of Us may extend well beyond HBO's adaptation. While the TV series appears to be heading toward its conclusion, Neil Druckmann says Naughty Dog still has plans for the franchise, and apparently there's more than one project currently cooking. Season 3 of The Last of Us is in development and is expected to continue adapting the story of the two existing games. Druckmann, however, has stepped away from the creative side of the HBO series. Speaking with The Washington Post, Druckmann explained that he "wasn't involved in shaping this season's creative direction, and Naughty Dog did not have a creative role" in the upcoming season. Because of that, he "can't personally speak to how production is progressing." Whatever happens with the HBO series, Druckmann made it clear that its conclusion wouldn't mean the end of The Last of Us franchise. "It's important for us to note that as the creator of the games, Naughty Dog is still the steward of this IP and even though this might be the end of this adaptation, we're not done with The Last of Us. ' He then dropped the more interesting piece of information: "There's a couple projects in the works that, when the time is right, I'm very excited to talk about.' Druckmann didn't explain what those projects are, so anything beyond his comments is speculation. Naturally, The Last of Us Part III is going to be the first thing many fans think about, although Naughty Dog could just as easily be working on something else within that world. A spin-off would certainly be interesting, especially considering how much territory the games leave unexplored. Naughty Dog could follow entirely new survivors, revisit familiar characters, or tell a story set somewhere else during the outbreak. There's also the ghost of The Last of Us Online , Naughty Dog's ambitious multiplayer game that was ultimately canceled. The project's former game director previously described it as "the best multiplayer game" many Naughty Dog developers had "ever played." That doesn't mean Naughty Dog is bringing The Last of Us Online back. The game was canceled, and there's currently no indication that it has been revived. Still, knowing how much work went into it makes it hard not to wonder whether some of its ideas could eventually find a home elsewhere. Whatever these projects turn out to be, Druckmann's comments confirm that Naughty Dog still considers The Last of Us a very active part of its future. The HBO series may be approaching the end of its road, but the franchise will contine to expand with the games. I'm excited to see what they have cooking!