New Last of Us Projects in Development to Broaden the Franchise Beyond Parts I and II

Is there going to be a The Last of Us Part 3? This question has been on the minds of fans throughout the PlayStation 5 era, and Naughty Dog has been quite secretive about it. After a mix of hints regarding the studio’s potential return to this beloved franchise, we now have confirmation that they are indeed working on something related to The Last of Us—multiple projects, in fact.

In a recent update on the studio’s website, Neil Druckmann, head of Naughty Dog, revealed that two new projects aimed at expanding the narrative of The Last of Us series are in “very early stages.” Here’s what he had to say:

Since the behind-the-scenes documentary Grounded II, we’ve discussed the possibility of exploring more stories within The Last of Us universe.

We have a couple of very exciting new projects in very early stages – so we can’t share much at this point. However, I can tell you that both projects will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II.

The world of The Last of Us is incredibly important to us, and we wouldn’t return to it unless we had something significant to contribute. We believe these stories are worth telling.

It’s important to note that the term “projects” doesn’t necessarily mean these will be games. While they could certainly be new titles, they might also involve other forms of media. With HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us likely concluding after season 3, which will cover the events of Part II, Naughty Dog might be exploring new avenues for storytelling, such as film or streaming. It’s also possible Druckmann could be hinting at a comic book, though it seems unlikely they would tease fans without something more substantial in mind.

Originally, we were set to see at least one new game in the series this generation, The Last of Us Online, but that project was ultimately scrapped due to concerns about the extensive post-launch support it would require, which could divert too many resources from Naughty Dog’s future development. With the studio still focused on launching Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, it seems we may have to wait a while before we learn more about these new projects.