The sprawling narratives of The Last of Us Part I and Part II are not the end of the story, according to Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann.
In a new blog post celebrating The Last of Us Day 2026, Druckmann shared that the team were actively working on a “couple of very exciting new projects in very early stages” in the Last of Us universe—the first time Naughty Dog has ever explicitly confirmed that there is more to come in the renowned post-apocalyptic series.
The news will come as a surprise to fans, as Naughty Dog have been hard at work on their upcoming space-set RPG Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet in recent years. Druckmann said of that game that it is “shaping up to be Naughty Dog’s most ambitious game yet.” Intergalactic is set to get a big reveal in 2027, but the team are obviously thinking of what comes next too.
Druckmann wrote that the unannounced projects will explicitly “expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II", implying that the focus will be on new characters and narratives outside the well-trodden stories of Ellie and Joel. The post said that Naughty Dog believes the new ideas are “worth telling”, saying: “The world of The Last of Us means a great deal to us, and we wouldn’t return to it unless we had something meaningful to say.” A multiplayer title set in The Last of Us universe was canceled in 2023, and that's the last anyone has heard.
Druckmann wrote that the unannounced projects will explicitly “expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II".
Fans will be hoping for a fresh start after mixed reception to the story in The Last of Us Part II, which saw Ellie facing off against a new arch nemesis, the Washington Liberation Force soldier Abby. While widely praised by critics for being a deep and emotional story, fans had a visceral reaction to the twist that half of the game sees players controlling (and humanizing) Abby. Many loathed her, and her voice actress, Laura Bailey, received lashings of abuse online—all in all, a very toxic situation.
The announcement came at the close of The Last of Us Day, which Naughty Dog celebrated with various social media campaigns, charity events and fan updates regarding merchandise and crossover products. The company also launched official social media accounts for The Last of Us, ensuring fans can get direct access to any future news regarding the series. New PlayStation Network avatars, animated PS5 backgrounds and a Sucker Punch collaboration were also shared, with Clicker-inspired armor coming to Ghost of Yotei on October 1.
The new project announcements are not linked with The Last of Us TV adaptation, produced by HBO, as Naughty Dog aims to show it is still the steward of the popular franchise. Reviews for the second season of The Last of Us were negative, with many criticizing changes to the storyline, Bella Ramsey’s portrayal as Ellie, and the early death of Joel, which robbed the series of the magnetic relationship which held it together.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://www.dualshockers.com/naughty-dog-teases-life-after-ellie-with-two-new-last-of-us-projects/
