The Last of Us

Neil Druckmann Won't Commit To The Last Of Us Part 3

Neil Druckmann Won't Commit To The Last Of Us Part 3
Naughty Dog

Written by 

Tom Chapman

Posted 

27th Jan 2023 14:51

We're not sure what's going on over at Naughty Dog right now, but it seems the acclaimed developer is wary of banking on its legacy franchises.

Alongside news that Naughty Dog is abandoning Uncharted, The Last of Us could be the next big IP cast to the wind? Is the record-breaking fungal apocalypse destined to become the next Jak and Daxter?

Where Is The Last Of Us Part 3?

The Last of Us Part 3 Naughty Dog
Click to enlarge

While 2013's The Last of Us was almost universally loved, that can't be said for 2020's The Last of Us Part II. Still, the title broke records by winning over 320 Game of the Year awards and became the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive of all time.

There are definitely enough story threads to warrant a mythical The Last of Us Part 3, with Game Director Neil Druckmann previously teasing that a story outline has already been written. Things have been mysteriously quiet since then.

Following the success of HBO's live-action The Last of Us series, Druckmann is back in the spotlight. Speaking to BuzzFeed, though he downplayed the chance of us shooting up Clickers in The Last of Us Part 3.

I know there's a bunch of people wondering about The Last of Us Part 3 and whether that will be a thing or not," said Druckmann. "All I could say is, at Naughty Dog we're very, very privileged that our publisher is Sony."

He reiterated that a title's success doesn't necessarily lead to a sequel. He circled back to Uncharted 4 and said that even though it was a gaming goliath, the team put its "final brushstroke" on Nathan Drake and has no plans to return to this world.

As for The Last of Us, Druckmann clarified, "It's up to us whether we want to continue it or not...If we can come up with a compelling story that has this universal message and statement about love — just like the first and second game did — then we will tell that story."

Before you go cheering about The Last of Us Part 3 trying to win round its harshest critics of Abby, Druckmann erred on the side of caution and concluded, "If we can't come up with something, we have a very strong ending with Part 2 and that will be the end."

Could The Last Of Us Series Lead To Part 3?

The temptation is obviously there, but it's refreshing to know Druckmann is simply powering ahead with The Last of Us Part 3 just for the sake of it.

Either way, the franchise has just found a whole new fandom thanks to the series. It's the fastest-growing show in HBO history and rose from 4.7 million viewers for the premiere to 5.7 for episode 2.

Although Druckmann has said nothing is confirmed for Season 2, he admitted in the BuzzFeed interview, "We have had conversations about where we would go if we get renewed."

Even though showrunner Craig Mazin has said that they wouldn't want the show to go on forever, the team has already teased The Last of Us Part 2 being split over two seasons.

Game of Thrones fumbled it as it galloped ahead of George R.R. Martin's source material, but if we get The Last of Us Part 3, expect the series to follow suit. In the meantime, someone get Abby actor, Laura Bailey, on standby.

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