Naughty Dog Confirms New The Last of Us Games After Splitting From HBO
So long, TV screens—time to pick up the controller again. Neil Druckmann has made it official: Naughty Dog is parting ways with HBO’s The Last of Us series, promising that the franchise’s future will play out where it all began—on console.
The bombshell dropped during an interview with the Washington Post. Zero creative involvement in season 3, zero role for the studio in steering the show. But this isn’t a retreat: the California studio is actively working on several new projects set in the world of The Last of Us, determined to remain the franchise’s ultimate guardian.
Image credit: Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog cuts ties with the HBO series
Neil Druckmann’s words leave no room for doubt. In an interview with the Washington Post, the creative director spelled out just how complete this break is: “I was not involved in defining the creative direction of this season, and Naughty Dog had no creative role in steering this season. So I can’t personally speak to the state of production.” After two seasons as co-showrunner alongside Craig Mazin, season 3 will move forward without its original creators at the helm.
This isn’t just a step back—it’s a clean break, both creatively and organizationally. The show will go on, but without the narrative safety net of the team behind the source material.
Multiple The Last of Us games confirmed in development
While Naughty Dog is letting go of the TV side, it’s tightening its grip on the gaming front. Druckmann was clear: “As the creators of the games, Naughty Dog remains the guardian of this franchise. Even if this is the end of the adaptation, we’re not done with The Last of Us. There are a few projects in the works that I’ll be excited to talk about when the time is right.” The key detail? He said “a few projects”—not just one.
Exactly what these projects are remains a mystery, but speculation is running wild:
- A highly anticipated The Last of Us Part III to continue the main story
- Narrative spin-offs exploring new characters or eras in the universe
- Brand-new experiences in formats yet to be revealed
By calling themselves “guardians of the franchise,” Druckmann is sending a clear message to the industry and fans alike: the future of The Last of Us will be decided in Santa Monica’s studios, not in Hollywood’s editing rooms.
The failure of The Last of Us Online explains the new focus
To understand this strategy, you have to go back to the cancellation of The Last of Us Online. This live-service project, born during the development of The Last of Us Part II, actually received strong internal feedback. Still, the studio leadership made the call: the project would have required the entire team’s focus for years, a model that just doesn’t fit Naughty Dog’s DNA.
It was a tough decision, but it clarified the studio’s vision. Rather than spreading themselves thin between a TV show, a live-service game, and solo productions, Naughty Dog chose to focus. Dropping multiplayer, then stepping away from the HBO series, sets a clear trajectory: a studio refusing to dilute its identity and channeling all its energy into narrative-driven single-player experiences.
Intergalactic in the spotlight before The Last of Us returns
Before diving back into the post-apocalyptic world, Naughty Dog has another project to wrap up. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, announced in December 2024, is nearing its two-year anniversary with no release date yet. But progress is being made: Robin Atkin Downes recently announced his return to Naughty Dog to join the cast, and the studio has wrapped filming on Intergalactic. Signs point to production entering the home stretch.
This new IP is a crucial test for Naughty Dog. Its reception will help determine the resources and ambition the studio can pour into those much-anticipated The Last of Us projects Druckmann teased. Fans will have to wait a bit longer, but one thing’s for sure: when the studio finally lifts the curtain, the next chapter will be played with a controller in hand.
