Naughty Dog Working on New The Last of Us Projects: Why It’s Too Early for Part III
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04.09.2026 19:50
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2 min read
Naughty Dog isn’t ready to say goodbye to its flagship post-apocalyptic franchise and is currently working on at least two related titles. Studio head and series creator Neil Druckmann revealed this in an interview with The Washington Post. However, social media rumors hinting at an imminent announcement of a sequel or The Last of Us Part III are wishful thinking for now.
Developer Quote and Hidden Nuances
The topic came up during a discussion about filming season three of the HBO series, where Druckmann pointed out that neither he nor Naughty Dog shapes the creative direction of the TV adaptation anymore. The game development side, however, hasn’t stopped.
“We’re not done with The Last of Us. There are a couple of projects in the works that I’ll be really excited to talk about when the time is right,” the game designer said.
Online gaming communities quickly turned these comments into news of an upcoming The Last of Us Part III release. In reality, Druckmann chose his words carefully: he did not refer to the upcoming titles as major single-player blockbusters, nor did he specify their formats. The term “projects” could refer to smaller spin-offs, animated shorts, or experimental offshoots.
Production Priority: Space Over Zombies
A third mainline entry remains a real possibility. Back in the 2024 documentary Grounded II, Druckmann admitted that after much searching, he had landed on a core concept that could connect both parts of the saga into a single trilogy, though a finished script hadn’t been written at the time.
Right now, however, Naughty Dog’s primary focus is on a completely different game. The studio is working on a sci-fi project titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet for PlayStation, with Druckmann serving as lead writer and game director. Furthermore, the company permanently canceled its large-scale multiplayer title The Last of Us Online in late 2023, stepping away from the live-service model.
Druckmann’s comments confirm that The Last of Us remains a key asset for Sony and Naughty Dog. But fans shouldn’t expect an immediate return to Ellie’s story: the studio is unlikely to show its hand before the full debut of its new space game.
