For all its faults, PlayStation Studios has seen an incredible run when it comes to first-party titles. Recent years have seen the likes of Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Forbidden West, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok, The Last of Us Part 2, Dreams, Gran Turismo 7, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and more launch to extensive critical acclaim. Even if some titles performed better than others financially, they’ve all offered excellent single-player experiences that compete with the very best the industry has to offer.
Of course, for all the successful first-party titles that PlayStation has pumped out, there are a few well-known IPs which have sunk into oblivion over time. No, not Killzone, whose last entry, Shadow Fall, launched in 2013 for the PS4 and received a 73 Metascore. Not Bloodborne, which is still considered FromSoftware’s finest work by hardcore fans and still hasn’t received a remaster or remake, let alone a port to PS5. It’s not Knack, which is still a meme even after the improved sequel.
It’s Uncharted, a franchise that began in 2007 on the PlayStation 3, generating four big titles and a few spin-offs. The story is about Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who is a quote-unquote descendant of Sir Francis Drake. The series is more than a little inspired by Indiana Jones but also features healthy dollops of pulp fiction, media like National Treasure and more to craft mystery-laden action-adventure titles.
Uncharted hit its stride in 2009 with Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, a sequel that many considered one of the best games ever. It would be followed by Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception in 2011, which, while not as acclaimed as its predecessor, still averaged an impressive 92 Metascore and sold millions of units. The set pieces became more bombastic and high-budget as the trilogy progressed, but the series never stopped focusing on Drake’s interpersonal relationships, the thrill of the chase or the extensive exploration and platforming that defined each adventure.
Even if it ended there, Uncharted would have been one of the best video game trilogies ever made, standing alongside Mass Effect, God of War, Metroid Prime, the list goes on. However, Naughty Dog announced Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End in 2013, and, based on the title alone, it generated more than its fair share of discussion. Would the fourth title mark the end of the series at last? Was this the end of Nathan Drake? Was Naughty Dog killing off the character?
Upon launching in May 2016, the developer revealed a much more personal journey for Nathan, who reunited with his brother Sam and embarked on one last big treasure hunt. While there were a few qualms regarding its narrative, Uncharted 4 was praised universally for its visuals, set pieces, combat, more open levels, performances, and fitting conclusion to a beloved series.
“Conclusion” is the important part here. Naughty Dog has said without fail over the past several years that it’s done with the franchise. As recently as January 2023, co-president Neil Druckmann told Buzzfeed, “At Naughty Dog we’re very, very privileged that our publisher is Sony — which means Sony funds our games, supports us, and we’re owned by Sony. They have supported us every step of the way to follow our passions — meaning that just because something is successful, people think there’s all this pressure, and we have to make a sequel.
“That’s not the case. For us, Uncharted was insanely successful — Uncharted 4 was one of our best-selling games — and we’re able to put our final brushstroke on that story and say that we’re done. We’re moving on.”
However, some at the studio – like Shaun Escayg, the creative director on spin-off Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – say it’s “a franchise that the studio loves” and “wants to see more of.” In January 2022, Escayg told GamesRadar, “I think we can say for certain that we can never say never. Uncharted is a franchise we love – that the studio loves. It’s a world we want to see more of. So I can certainly say that.” This was after co-president Evan Wells told Game Informer in August 2021 that the studio still has “a ton of love for Uncharted and The Last of Us, and I think you’ll see both kinds of projects from us in the future.”
This was following the launch of The Last of Us Part 2, as rumors of a standalone multiplayer project were already circulating (which was announced and subsequently cancelled). While Naughty Dog’s involvement with Uncharted remains the same on the surface – no officially announced sequel or such coming up – plenty is seemingly happening behind the scenes.
An Uncharted multiplayer title was reportedly in the works, per Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier in April 2021, at Bend Studio with Naughty Dog supervising. It was allegedly cancelled as the Days Gone developer moved on to an untitled new IP (also sporting multiplayer support).
However, in April 2022, Naughty Dog hired a new “primary Recruiter” in charge of “building future teams for not only new titles but for the legacy of Uncharted, which is very personal and specific to me and my family.” Sony would also establish a new first-party triple-A studio in San Diego, with job listings indicating it was “co-developing an exciting new project with Naughty Dog in a beloved franchise.”
Nothing official came of all this, though in December 2022, TheLeak.co reported that a reboot for Uncharted was in the works at a “new, unknown studio” and that Naughty Dog wasn’t leading the project (which fits with the San Diego studio’s listing). While development is stated to be in its “infancy,” it’s possible that Sony may have shifted towards or greenlit another title in the franchise – a remake, per XboxEra in February 2024.
The latter is allegedly a ground-up remake of the first game for PS5, though it was still “being very strongly considered,” indicating that it may not progress further. Once again, Naughty Dog isn’t developing the title – its involvement in this case is relatively unknown.
Regardless, things are allegedly happening, and there is some interest from Sony in doing something with Uncharted. How those plans have shifted over time is unknown (especially following the 2022 film’s success at the box success). Nevertheless, as a franchise, Uncharted is as synonymous with PlayStation as any other brand.
The franchise arguably represented a shift for the publisher and Naughty Dog, the latter moving towards more realistic visuals and grounded stories. Nathan Drake may not return as the leading hero, but he was undoubtedly the mascot for Sony during its PlayStation 3 days, distinguishing it from the competition as a premier destination for high-end triple-A single-player titles.
Based on all these rumors, it’s unknown if a direct follow-up to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End will ever occur. Uncharted 5 may very well be a soft reboot that features a new leading character, albeit one with ties to Drake, as indicated by the last game’s ending. If that does happen, it wouldn’t be odd for Sony to remake the older games and usher in a new audience. Regardless of the direction, the legacy of Drake lives on, and his exploits remain the stuff of legend. Here’s hoping the future matches up to his illustrious past.
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