The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann says that working on the series’ HBO TV adaptation of the Naughty Dog game hasn’t changed his approach to writing, but he’s learned some lessons that have been brought into developing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Speaking to The Washington Post, Druckmann explained that for Season 3 of the HBO TV series, he “wasn’t involved in shaping this season’s creative direction, and Naughty Dog did not have a creative role.” Druckmann was a writer and showrunner for the first and second seasons of the HBO series.
However, he stepped away from the series ahead of its third season to focus on the production of Naughty Dog’s next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
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Neil Druckmann has been focused on Intergalactic, and clarified to me that he and Naughty Dog are NOT involved in the creative direction of The Last of Us Season 3 on HBO. This is in my piece dissecting why games writing is different from other media. https://t.co/DiqnunJl6N pic.twitter.com/AviypgttnzSeptember 3, 2026
Now, Druckmann says that working on the TV series hasn’t changed his approach to writing in games, but explains that it has changed his approach to other aspects of creating Intergalactic. For example, a TV series needs to account for elements like lighting and makeup, which Druckmann says are lessons that have been brought into the studio’s next game.
And despite the lack of an announced sequel, Druckmann says that Naughty Dog isn’t “done with The Last of Us.” Whether that means a full-fledged The Last of Us Part 3 or simply more multimedia projects around the franchise remains unclear. But given that it’s been over six years since Naughty Dog released a game, and with the possibility that the developer skips the PS5 generation entirely, I don’t think we’ll see a new Last of Us game for a while.
Looking to pass the time until The Last of Us 3 releases in a decade’s time? Browse through our roundup of the best new games coming this year and beyond.
