Naughty Dog Confirms New Last of Us Projects
The studio is working on new stories to expand the franchise beyond the first two games.
Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Gaming
Live Poll
Would you prefer a new sequel to The Last of Us over an original game?
Naughty Dog is developing new projects set within the Last of Us universe to expand the existing narrative canon. Neil Druckmann confirmed these plans in a blog post released on September 26, 2026.
Why it matters
The studio intends to grow the franchise beyond the core Part I and Part II titles because creators believe these new stories are meaningful and worth telling. This signals a commitment to long-term franchise development rather than concluding the series.
The original game launched in 2013, followed by The Last of Us Part II in 2020. Naughty Dog is also currently working on a separate upcoming IP titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
The players
Naughty Dog
This is a California-based video game developer and a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Neil Druckmann
He is the creative director and studio head at Naughty Dog who oversees the narrative direction of major titles.
The details
Naughty Dog is currently in the early stages of development for these upcoming franchise entries. These projects serve as a direct effort to push the narrative scope of the series past the events covered in the first two installments.
Timeline
The first The Last of Us game launched in 2013.
The Last of Us Part II game launched in 2020.
Neil Druckmann released a blog post regarding franchise projects on September 26, 2026.
Culture Shift
Naughty Dog is moving away from the linear sequel model established by The Last of Us Part II to embrace a wider, multi-project narrative ecosystem. This reflects a broader industry trend where studios leverage successful intellectual property to create expanded, interconnected universes.
Fans of the series can expect future announcements regarding these projects as they move out of early development stages. This news defines the long-term content roadmap for players invested in the franchise's lore and storytelling.
The takeaway
The studio is prioritizing the expansion of an established universe over creating entirely new series. Players should watch for official status updates from Naughty Dog to understand how these projects will integrate with existing story arcs.
Further reading
Explore the latest developments across the industry in our Gaming section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ScreenRant.
Live Poll
Would you prefer a new sequel to The Last of Us over an original game?
