While fans have been waiting for any news on a potential sequel to The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog has been very quiet on that front. However, that silence has broken, but perhaps not in the way many of us were hoping for. But what exactly the reasoning behind that is, we may have to wait to find out, although it may have something to do with Naughty Dog's other title currently in development.

Currently, the second season of The Last of Us is right around the corner, and fans of both the games and the first season have high expectations and a lot of anticipation. With the release edging closer, we have gotten more news and a little bit more from the developers of the show as well. However, in this case, we also got a hint of news about The Last of Us Part 3 that most people were not expecting.

Apparently, There's No TLOU Part 3

Druckmann Weighs In On TLOU Part 3 During Interview

In an interview with there is currently no Last of Us Part 3, or at least it isn't in development yet. However, I don't believe that means there might not ever be a part 3, just that there are no plans in motion yet. It also could be a case of Naughty Dog trying to steer us away from any potential hints, as Druckmann continues to evade questions about the biggest scene in The Last of Us Season 2.

Granted, fans of the television series alone wouldn't know what's going to happen, which is why the producers are likely staying quiet, but it wouldn't be the first time someone evades a question about a highly anticipated sequel to keep things calm for the time being. Right now, however, all we have is Druckmann's statement, so we should be prepared to wait a long time for any potential news to come out. That said, in the same interview, the author states that they don't know how many seasons there will end up being, which entices even more speculation.

Is Intergalatic: The Heretic Prophet The Reason?

Could The Development Of One Game Cancel Another?

At the 2024 Game Of The Year Awards, the new IP from Naughty Dog, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet was announced as the next big game on the lineup and has been in development since 2020. This would be around the same time as The Last of Us Part 2 wrapped, so it is likely it began in earnest as the other game launched. This could well be the reason that there is not a Part 3 in development, as this game could have been an all-hands-on-deck situation.

It's hard to say that Intergalatic: The Heretic Prophet is the only reason for the lack of a Part 3. It might well be a contributing factor, however, they were also working on multiple remasters at the same time, and they have had multiple games in development at the same time in the past. It's also important to point out that the television series is also taking a fair chunk of Druckmann's time, so that could be half the reason why there's not Part 3 at the moment as well.

It would be somewhat ironic if the television show's success was the reason the franchise stalled elsewhere. Still, working on big projects like both Intergalatic and the television show together might be why there is no Part 3. Right now, we still don't have a release window for Intergalatic, so it is hard to make a judgment call as to when we might receive other news.

Neil Druckmann Explains Why There's No TLOU 3 Yet

What Might Be Happening Behind The Scenes

Druckmann doesn't give a direct reason, and it sounds a little like he was resigned to the fact that he would get asked about it. This could mean he just wants to work on newer projects that don't have an IP behind them yet. It also could mean that he can't talk about it, so if it does exist but is just beginning, it could explain why he avoided the question. We don't know anything for certain at the moment, and his use of the word "could" doesn't help matters either.

From the rest of the interview, it's clear that he's been quite busy, and there are also questions about his reactions to what people had to say about The Last of Us Part 2 and any reactions from Season 2. From the sound of it, he's not too concerned with the backlash, and it doesn't seem like he would cancel development on Part 3 just because of the initial outrage from the last one. He seems fully prepared for a new wave of backlash over pivotal moments in Season 2, so he's less likely to bail out of a project for those reasons.

There could be any number of other reasons why he may not be moving forward with Part 3 just yet. There might be creative differences between the team that are still being reconciled, or he might be deciding just how he wants to frame the story. It took 7 years for us to get from Part 1 to Part 2, and Intergalactic is in its 5th year of development. Things take time to complete, and I would much rather have a better, well-developed finished copy of a game even if it takes a long time to get rather than a rushed sequel that makes a lot less sense.

In the meantime, we have at least two more seasons of The Last of Us to hold us over, as well as the Intergalactic game. There's plenty to keep us busy while we wait for any news about an expanded game in the same franchise. I kind of hope that Ellie's story in the games is finished, and that, if we don't continue with Abby.

It felt like her arc wrapped up well, and it would be nice to see something new. There are a lot of corners of the world that are yet to be explored, and I would like to see a new story if we do see The Last of Us Part 3 anytime soon.