Naughty Dog, the developer behind The Last of Us, is reportedly working on an additional game alongside Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but it isn't a third game in The Last of Us series. According to a known gaming industry insider, it's being directed by a key member of the PlayStation-owned studio and it's been in the works for three years.

DanielRPK made the claim on his paywalled implied that the studio isn't working on such a title and went so far as to tell fans that The Last of Us Part 2 "could be it" for Ellie. Druckmann later amended his comments (via GameSpot), clarifying that he treats "every game like it's his last." Regardless, the report should be taken with a grain of salt, as Naughty Dog has not mentioned any plans for the future outside the release of Intergalactic, which may not release until at least a couple of years.

The Lost Legacy Director Is Working On Unannounced Game, It's Claimed

Could The Mystery Game Be Another Installment In The Uncharted Saga?

According to DanielRPK, the project is being directed by Shaun Escayg, who helmed the release of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Escayg also worked on Marvel's Avengers during his brief stint at Crystal Dynamics. Given Escayg's work on the Uncharted series, it's possible that Naughty Dog's mystery project is centered around that universe. The future of Uncharted is unclear, and with The Lost Legacy appearing to close the book on Chloe and Nadine's story while also excluding Nathan Drake, subsequent games may introduce an entirely new character to the franchise.

In the meantime, Naughty Dog has its hands full with the release of Season 2 of The Last of Us on HBO and its work on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Intergalactic is skin for Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2's PC version release.

Our Take: Naughty Dog Infamously Takes Its Time With Its Blockbuster Games

The Developer Does Not Rush Game Production

Naughty Dog has no problem making players wait for their games: The Last of Us Part 2 took over five years to develop and dealt with significant delays during its creation. If this mystery project is real, it's not surprising that Naughty Dog has not provided any information on it, as it may very well be another three years before the game is released.

Despite long production times, Naughty Dog has managed to create several franchises that have shaped the future of the gaming world, even reaching audiences outside of it in the case of Uncharted and The Last of Us, with the former releasing as a movie starring Tom Holland as Nathan Drake. Naughty Dog's continued success proves that taking the time to develop and perfect content is worth it, so if there is indeed a new game on the horizon, we're more than willing to wait for it.

Source: DanielRPK (paywalled), The Game Post, GameSpot