One of the more prolific and accurate movie industry leakers has veered into the gaming realm, as ‘ViewerAnon’ has reported The Last of Us Part 3 is now in active development at Naughty Dog.
Ever since The Last of Us Part 2 arrived in 2020, its acclaimed developers Naughty Dog have remained fairly quiet. Beyond a piece of concept art for The Last of Us Factions, an upcoming multiplayer project, assisting the remake of The Last of Us Part 1, and Neil Druckmann’s involvement in HBO’s upcoming TV series adaptation, the studio has kept all other cards close to its chest.
Although the first-party PlayStation team has continued expanding all the while, there’s currently no word on what to expect from their debut project on PS5. We could see anything from an entirely new IP to a reboot of the Uncharted series, or even a continuation of The Last of Us narrative.
While nothing is yet confirmed, it now appears the latter is the leading theory, as new leaks have pointed towards a third entry in the enormously popular post-apocalyptic franchise.
Prominent film industry leaker ‘ViewerAnon’, perhaps best known for his years of accurate reporting on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, was the first to let slip Naughty Dog’s alleged next steps.
Using Druckmann’s in-game collectible alias of ‘Dr. Uckmann,’ the leaker claimed his next game is indeed The Last of Us Part 3 and that it’s “currently in production at Naughty Dog.”
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Obviously, it’s worth taking this information with a grain of salt as there’s no indication from official parties just yet. Though with Part 2’s ending, a multiplayer project on the way, and a TV show to captivate new audiences, it would make all the sense in the world to tie things up with a third act in a trilogy.
Exactly where the supposed third component would go, or who players would control, all remains a mystery for now. Without spoiling anything, there’s certainly plenty of pathways open for Naughty Dog to conclude the series.
Of note, it’s worth highlighting ViewerAnon specifically mentioned Part 3 as Druckmann’s next project. Given the expansion of Naughty Dog in recent years, this could very well mean multiple projects are now being juggled all at once. Part 3, Factions, and an unannounced third game, perhaps one establishing a new universe, could all be in development simultaneously.
We’ll just have to wait and see what the future holds, but for now, keep your eyes peeled as we edge closer to the premiere of HBO’s The Last of Us on January 15, 2013.
