Neil Druckmann Teases Two New ‘The Last of Us’ Projects in “Early Stages” of Development

Naughty Dog appears to have more stories planned for The Last of Us universe.

Earlier this month, studio head Neil Druckmann teased that the franchise could expand beyond its existing games, and he has now provided a little more insight into what the future might hold.

In a new note published on Naughty Dog’s official blog, Druckmann revealed that two projects set within the world of The Last of Us are currently in the “very early stages” of development. According to Druckmann, both projects are intended to expand the series’ canon beyond The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II.

“Since [the 2024 The Last of Us Part II documentary Grounded II], we’ve talked about the possibility of telling more stories in the world of The Last of Us,” Druckmann wrote. “We have a couple of very exciting new projects in very early stages – so we can’t say much about them at this point.”

He added that both projects will “expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II.”

Druckmann also stressed that Naughty Dog isn’t returning to the franchise simply for the sake of making more content.

“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,” he wrote. “We believe these stories are worth telling.”

The announcement is particularly interesting considering Druckmann’s comments about a potential The Last of Us Part III last year. At the time, he revealed that he had a concept for a third game that he believed could stand alongside the first two entries while still telling its own story.

However, Druckmann also cautioned fans against assuming another mainline game was coming, saying, “Don’t bet on there being more of Last of Us. This could be it.”

It remains unclear whether either of the two projects currently in development is The Last of Us Part III. Naughty Dog has not revealed what the projects are, and with both still in the earliest stages of development, fans may have a long wait before learning more.

The news also follows Druckmann’s decision to step away from the third and final season of HBO’s The Last of Us. The upcoming season is currently expected to arrive next year and will continue expanding the story surrounding Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever.

For now, Naughty Dog is keeping the details firmly under wraps, but it looks like the world of The Last of Us may have considerably more stories left to tell.