Uncharted has become somewhat of an industry standard for gaming over the last few years (which is ironic, as series creator Amy Hennig says pitching game like it is near impossible in today’s development environment). With its focus on cinematic presentation and Hollywood-level production values, its influence and popularity have been very notable. With Naughty Dog, not talking about the series’ future, we don’t know much about what’s next for Sony’s blockbuster franchise.
One person who is okay with it being over though? Voice actor Nolan North, who has played the series’ protagonist, Nathan Drake, in every entry.
In an interview with OnlySP, North talks openly about being proud of the Uncharted series, his work in it, as well as the original uncertainty about the original game’s success when it was released as a launch title on the PlayStation 3. He also says that he thinks the series has had a great run with a satisfying ending, and while he’s not against an Uncharted 5 happening eventually, he’s fine with the dual final release of 4 and Lost Legacy being the swan song, if that should be the case.
“It wasn’t until the fourth one kind of started that there’s no fifth one and you’re going ‘Okay, what’s next?’” said North. “But you don’t want to jump the shark … It was bittersweet to end the franchise, but we’re proud of what we’ve made, and if that’s the way that Sony and Naughty Dog decide to leave it, then I’m fine with that.”
There’s been no real indication of where the franchise will go now, with both Sony and Naughty Dog being silent on its future, though some have speculated that Sony’s new studio in San Diego might have taken the reins on the series’ future. With Naughty Dog seemingly in the final laps of The Last of Us Part II’s development, is Nathan Drake going to make a comeback with the next generation of consoles? Only time will tell.