The Last of Us IP is bigger than it’s ever been, which is really saying something. The games, of course, remain a critical and commercial success on a scale that very few other franchises can claim to match. Meanwhile, the success of the HBO adaptation has shot the franchise further and higher into the mainstream.
With that, many have taken it as a fact that Naughty Dog will, at some point, make The Last of Us Part 3. However, series creator and Naughty Dog head honcho Neil Druckmann himself isn’t quite so sure.
Speaking in a recent interview with Variety, when asked about a third Last of Us game, Druckmann said there are no guarantees that Naughty Dog will make one and that 2020’s The Last of Us Part 2 could be the end of the series.
“I was waiting for this question. I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more of Last of Us. This could be it.”
Of course, it’s fair to say that few will believe him, and many might even strongly believe that The Last of Us Part 3 is in the works right now. Druckmann himself has certainly made statements in the past that seemingly allude to that being the case.
Back in 2021, he said he had a story outline in mind for The Last of Us Part 3. Meanwhile, in a development documentary for The Last of Us Part 2 released last year, Druckmann spoke once again about his ideas for a sequel, saying, “it does feel like there’s probably one more chapter to this story.” Read more on through here.
In 2023, Naughty Dog confirmed it had multiple major single-player titles in development. Last December, one of those was officially confirmed to be a sci-fi action-adventure game Intergalactic.
The Last of Us franchise has sold over 37 million units as of January 2023. Season 2 of HBO’s adaptation premieres next month.
