Naughty Dog isn’t done with The Last of Us. The studio’s co-president Neil Druckmann announced during The Last of Us Day 2026 that the developer has two new projects set in the franchise’s universe currently in very early stages of development, both designed to expand the canon beyond the existing mainline games.
First reported by GamingBible, the confirmation came via a blog post from Druckmann outlining the studio’s current slate. While details remain scarce — Naughty Dog isn’t saying what these projects will be or which characters or stories they’ll center on — the announcement marks a significant signal that the studio sees more storytelling potential in the post-apocalyptic world it’s built over the past decade.
Why Now?
The timing of this announcement is telling. Naughty Dog’s next major release, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, was revealed nearly two years ago and is being positioned as the studio’s most ambitious game to date. However, the team has remained relatively quiet about it, and won’t fully reveal the project until 2027. That extended development timeline has left room for Naughty Dog to greenlight additional Last of Us content.
This isn’t entirely out of the blue. Druckmann said the studio has been talking about telling more stories in this world since Grounded II, the 2024 documentary chronicling the making of The Last of Us Part II. Earlier this month, he also told The Washington Post, “We’re not done with The Last of Us.”
What It Means for the Franchise
The announcement signals Naughty Dog’s confidence in The Last of Us as a long-term franchise. The series already includes The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2, both of which received critical acclaim and strong fan followings. By introducing new stories and canon-expanding projects, the studio is betting that there’s still appetite for more tales set in this universe.
Druckmann noted that the studio believes these stories are worth telling, underscoring Naughty Dog’s creative commitment to deepening the world beyond what Joel and Ellie’s journey has already shown players.
What remains unanswered is the form these projects will take. Whether they’ll be traditional single-player games, multiplayer-focused experiences, or something else entirely is still unclear. The same goes for their scope — these could be smaller spinoffs or full-sized releases comparable to the mainline entries.
The Longer View
For now, Naughty Dog’s development team is staying quiet for the remainder of 2026. The studio’s focus will shift to a fuller reveal of Intergalactic in 2027, meaning fans shouldn’t expect substantial updates on either of the new Last of Us projects anytime soon.
Still, the confirmation that multiple Last of Us projects are in motion suggests Naughty Dog is building a more expansive approach to the franchise — one that doesn’t rely solely on direct sequels but explores different corners of its universe. How those stories fit into the broader canon, and what new characters or conflicts they’ll introduce, will likely remain a mystery until the studio is ready to show more.
Written with the help of AI, reviewed and edited by Harmony Daniels.
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