Naughty Dog, the first-party studio best known for The Last of Us, Uncharted, and other iconic PlayStation franchises, is currently working on multiple projects, all of which are single-player (and presumably narratively driven) titles, according to new statements shared by Neil Druckmann, studio head and head of creative at Naughty Dog. Described as a “philosopher gamer,” Druckmann is one of the figures highlighted in LA Influential, a new series from the LA Times that highlights people of all ages, backgrounds, and fields who are making a difference in what is considered to be the entertainment capital of the world.
From a report:
- “Today, there’s a hit show on HBO based on the game, with a second season on the horizon. And yet, said Druckmann, who is now the sole leader of Naughty Dog, ‘I promise you, we will not be The Last of Us studio forever.'”
- “Numerous games, he said, are in the works, including ‘multiple single-player projects.'”
- “One thing is certain: They will be built in Druckmann’s vision.”
- “‘We create experiences that are steeped in story and character, especially relationships,’ Druckmann said. ‘The stories have some sort of philosophical core that everything is going to revolve around and feed into.'”
As for what The Last of Us ended up replacing at Naughty Dog:
…when Druckmann went to work at Naughty Dog, Sony’s acclaimed Santa Monica-based video game studio, he didn’t suggest it. He focused instead on a difficult assignment given to him: Re-create “Jak and Daxter,” Naughty Dog’s popular run, jump and race franchise, into something more reality-based. It wasn’t working. …Dejected, Druckmann and his partner at the time went to Naughty Dog’s then-head Evan Wells. “Do we need to do ‘Jak and Daxter’?” they asked. The answer, surprisingly, was no. …The time for “The Last of Us” had come.