Naughty Dog is reportedly taking a bold new direction with its next project! Read on to learn more about what the acclaimed studio behind Uncharted and The Last of Us has in store for its next game.
Naughty Dog’s Next Game Will Offer “A Lot of Player Freedom,” Said MinnMax’s Ben Hanson
Hanson Clarified That It Wasn’t Compared to Hitman
Naughty Dog is renowned for its linear storytelling, evidenced by the success of franchises like The Last of Us and Uncharted. However, recent reports suggest that the studio's upcoming game will break from this tradition, focusing instead on "player freedom," a bold shift for Naughty Dog, a studio traditionally known for controlled gameplay environments.
The news comes from Ben Hanson of the MinnMax YouTube channel, who claims to have inside information from a "very in the know" source who has worked on the said game. Hanson described the source’s reaction as pure hype, saying, "The tone was like, you are all not ready for how amazing this thing is going to be."
"They compared it to a game with a lot of player freedom," Hanson said. "Did you like that game? Yes? Well, there you go! It’s gonna be good!" While he did not specify what game the alleged developer compared the game to, he did say when asked that "it wasn’t Hitman."
What Could Naughty Dog’s Next Game Be?
Back in March of this year, Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann mentioned in an interview with Logically Speaking that their next project is "really ambitious," as certain aspects of its creation are "really hard" on him and the team.
But what exactly does "player freedom" mean in the context of a Naughty Dog game? Traditionally, the studio has been known for its linear experiences wrapped around meticulously crafted narratives. For instance, Nathan Drake scaling crumbling temples with a predetermined path; Joel and Ellie navigating a zombie apocalypse through somewhat open areas filled with invisible walls.
While Uncharted 4 did offer dialogue options, they had little impact on the story as a whole. Similarly, The Last of Us Part 2 provided players with combat scenarios that could be approached in whichever way they want, but even this freedom was constrained in linear corridors that created a false sense of open-world exploration.
In an interview with The Washington Post in January of last year, Druckmann revealed what he may want to achieve in their next game. He said that he’d like the studio to focus less on traditional narrative in future projects.
"I’m more recently intrigued by stuff like Elden Ring and Inside, that don’t rely as much on traditional narrative to tell a story," Druckmann explained. "I think some of the best storytelling in The Last of Us—yes, a lot of it is in the cinematics—but a lot of it is in the gameplay, and moving around a space, and understanding a history of a space by just looking at it and examining it."
“Multiple Single-Player Projects” Prioritized Before The Last of Us Part 3
The next game may not be The Last of Us Part 3, however. In a documentary about The Last of Us Part 2, Druckmann mentioned that while another installment is possible and that they already have a concept that "is as exciting" as Parts 1 and 2, they "don’t have to" immediately work on it. He explained, "It’s always like, we would love another Last of Us, but if you guys are passionate about something else, we’ll support this other thing."
This is further solidified by another interview with LA Times back in June, wherein Druckmann emphasized that "we will not be the ‘Last of Us’ studio forever," as numerous games are in the works, which includes "multiple single-player projects."
Whether or not the speculations prove accurate, one thing is certain: Naughty Dog is stepping outside its comfort zone and venturing into uncharted territory. Despite the limited information available, and the breadcrumbs fans are clinging to, Naughty Dog's next game is poised to be a substantial departure from their previous works, and fans eagerly await to see what the studio has in store for them in (hopefully) the near future.
Source:
Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II
LA Times | Neil Druckmann: Philosopher gamer behind ‘The Last of Us’
The Washington Post |Video game creator Neil Druckmann on ‘The Last of Us’ and new HBO series
