The Last of Us Part 3 In Doubt As Franchise Creator's Naughty Dog Exit Rumoured

Rumours are circulating on social media that raise concerns regarding the future of The Last of Us Part III and its creator, Neil Druckmann.

Naughty Dog, the original creators of iconic franchises such as Crash Bandicoot, Jak and Daxter, Uncharted and The Last of Us, is one of Sony’s most important development studios, and there are high expectations for its latest new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

When it comes to its importance, Naughty Dog sits firmly alongside the likes of PlayStation giants, such as Santa Monica Studios, Insomniac Games, Guerrilla Games, and Sucker Punch Productions. However, no matter the rich history, in this day and age, it seems that no studio is safe from the chopping block.

Should the Naughty Dog Rumours Cause Genuine Concern?

Well, that all depends on who or what you want to believe. Recently, content creator SmashJT produced a video reacting to the rumours that Naughty Dog president, Neil Druckmann, is on his way out of the studio, thus putting the likes of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and The Last of Us Part III into potential jeopardy.

On the flipside, X (formerly Twitter) user RinoTheBouncer also reacted to those rumours, particularly with Naughty Dog struggling with the development and financial demands of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. However, they also point out that many of these rumours cite no source. Which, to be fair, most do not reveal their sources, as it would break trust.

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Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Is Naughty Dog in Trouble With Sony And PlayStation?

Much like the gossip above, we can only speculate at this time. That being said, the fact can’t be ignored that Naughty Dog’s last new game was The Last of Us Part II, which released six years ago in 2020. Since that time, the studio has released a remastered Uncharted trilogy collection, a remake of The Last of Us Part I, and a remaster of The Last of Us Part II.

As for its new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, that was announced at The Game Awards in 2024 with a cinematic trailer featuring its lead protagonist, a bounty hunter named Jordan A. Mun, played by Tati Gabrielle. However, since that reveal nearly two years ago, we’ve seen no gameplay or learned of its release date.

Looking from the outside, given the fact that Naughty Dog’s last new game was six years ago, and nearly two years on from its announcement, we’ve practically seen or learned nothing new about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. When you consider those factors, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that the bigwigs at Sony PlayStation might have some frustration with the lack of Naughty Dog’s activity.

But in terms of Naughty Dog, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and The Last of Us Part III being in jeopardy, I find it hard to believe at this point. As for Neil Druckmann, I’m not so sure. Put it this way, despite his contributions to Sony PlayStation, Druckmann is far less expendable than Naughty Dog as a whole.

Perhaps the best thing Sony and Naughty Dog could do in the immediate future, once the PlayStation digital-only controversy blows over (if it ever does), is give fans a development update on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and let fans know that The Last of Us Part III is in the works, with or without Neil Druckmann.

However, it’s absolutely worth keeping in mind that these rumours are very much unconfirmed at this point, so they should be taken with a pinch of salt until proven otherwise. As always, we’ll let you know if we learn more about this developing story.

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