Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann Reveals Second Unannounced Project in Development

Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann has confirmed that the studio is working on a second, undisclosed game alongside Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

In a conversation on the Press X to Continue podcast, Druckmann shared insights into his roles at Sony-owned Naughty Dog. For Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, he collaborates with directors Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau while co-writing with narrative director Claire Carré. He remained tight-lipped about the director of the second project.

“There’s another title in development at Naughty Dog where I take on more of a producer role, mentoring and guiding the team while providing feedback as an executive,” he explained.

“Switching between these roles keeps my work dynamic and engaging. It’s always fresh, and I’m never bored.”

The development stage of each project remains unclear. With Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet already announced, it’s likely further along. But what could this second game be?

Several possibilities stand out. Could it be The Last of Us 3? Druckmann has previously expressed doubts about its feasibility but noted he has a vision for its conclusion. Given his producer role on the mystery project, it seems unlikely to be The Last of Us 3, as he’d likely take a more hands-on director role for such a title.

Another possibility is a new Uncharted game. The series hasn’t seen a fresh installment since 2017’s The Lost Legacy. Could a revival be in the works? Alternatively, this project might be an entirely new intellectual property, much like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

It’s worth noting that this second project may never see the light of day or receive an official reveal from Sony. Naughty Dog has faced challenges recently, including the cancellation of The Last of Us multiplayer game as Sony shifted focus away from live service titles toward single-player experiences.

Naughty Dog halted The Last of Us Online in December 2023, citing the need to dedicate resources to post-launch content, which would have hindered future single-player game development.

Historically, Naughty Dog has found it difficult to juggle two major projects simultaneously, with one often taking priority. The studio’s last original release was 2020’s The Last of Us 2, followed by remakes and collections.

As for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, it boasts a high-profile cast, including Tati Gabrielle from the Uncharted film as protagonist Jordan A. Mun and Kumail Nanjiani of Marvel’s Eternals as Colin Graves. The game isn’t expected to launch before 2027. Speaking to IGN on the red carpet before The Last of Us Season 2 premiere, Druckmann shared that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is already playable and “truly impressive.”

“We’re playing it at the studio, and it’s phenomenal,” Druckmann said. “I’m thrilled to soon share gameplay with the world. What we’ve shown so far is just the very tip of the iceberg. The game dives much deeper.”