The Last of Us Creator Neil Druckmann Speaks on Deciding Next Game; Original Ellie Actor Nervous Before Filming for HBO Series

Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us had a wild conclusion with the release of Part II two years ago, and it was an outright success. Now, players are wondering what’s next for Naughty Dog and how they are going to live up to the likes of The Last of Us and Uncharted series. Fortunately, Neil Druckmann has provided some details on how they are dealing with the next game.

I’ll follow you anywhere you go.

The season finale of #TheLastOfUs is streaming now on @HBOMax. pic.twitter.com/vcIS9X0tou

— The Last of Us (@TheLastofUsHBO) March 13, 2023

Neil Druckmann recently featured on The Kinda Funny podcast, where he was asked questions on various aspects of the series such as his favorite part of the show and what he loved about making it. He was also asked to elaborate on the finale of season 1 and how the team is setting up for season 2.

One topic that caught everybody’s attention was when Druckmann was asked if he feels pressure to keep releasing blockbuster games such as The Last of Us and Uncharted that could become massive IPs and serve as media franchises for years to come.

Druckmann stated that he is “very lucky”, as he does not have to feel such pressure. He believes that when he joined Naughty Dog, it was already so successful that they could be “kinda prima donnas” and work according to what they choose to work on.

He adds that after every project, several other projects are explored, such as sequels and new titles. The team then decides which project they are most passionate about, else they lose the “fire” and end up burning out when working on projects that go on for four or more years.

Druckmann, then states that the fans really want a third instalment to The Last of Us series, but all he can say is that the next project is already started, and the decision has been made. He revealed that he cannot share any more details on what they are working on, but the team seems excited about it after careful consideration of other projects.

Moreover, Druckmann confirms that their next big title is none other than the multiplayer version of The Last of Us. Players will hear more details about this project later in the year. Druckmann is not directly linked to the project but will be observing from the sidelines as a mentor to the team.