Naughty Dog confirms two more The Last of Us projects are in early development

Two projects, few details

Naughty Dog is at work on two further projects set in the world of The Last of Us, according to the studio's co-president Neil Druckmann. TechRadar reports that Druckmann revealed the pair in a blog post released to close out this year's The Last of Us Day, describing them as being in very early stages and saying the studio cannot yet share much about them.

The key detail he did give is scope: the projects are intended to carry the series' canon past The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2, rather than sit outside it. Druckmann tied the decision back to earlier internal conversations about returning to the setting, referencing Grounded II, after which he said the team had discussed the possibility of telling more stories in that world.

He framed the return as conditional rather than commercial. According to the report, Druckmann said the setting matters a great deal to the studio, that it would not go back without something meaningful to say, and that the team believes these stories are worth telling.

What was not disclosed: release windows, platforms, creative leads, or whether either project is a full game, a remake, or something else. TechRadar's report contains none of that, which is consistent with the studio's own description of the work as early.

Intergalactic is still cooking

The blog post also covered Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the studio's other known project, first shown almost two years ago. Druckmann said the team is heads down on what he characterised as potentially Naughty Dog's most ambitious game yet, describing a sense of momentum inside the studio as the pieces come together.

On timing, he indicated the studio will stay quiet for the remainder of 2026 and plans a full reveal in 2027, when it intends to give players a proper look at the game. He acknowledged the long gap since the last substantial update and thanked players for staying with the studio, saying the team is working to justify their patience.

How to read this

Strip away the framing and the announcement amounts to a statement of intent. Two unnamed projects in very early development are a commitment to keep a franchise alive, not evidence that anything is close to release. The absence of platforms, staff, or scope beyond "canon" means there is currently no way to judge whether these are large-scale sequels or something smaller.

The Intergalactic timeline deserves the same caution. A planned 2027 reveal is a plan, not a date, and the studio has already stretched the gap between announcement and detail. Readers tracking the pipeline should treat both items as directional information from a developer that is deliberately holding back specifics.

It is also worth noting that no consumer hardware, service, or purchase decision is implicated here. This is studio-level news relevant to people following Naughty Dog's output, not a buying guide.

Based on reporting by TechRadar.