And Possibly The Last of Us 3 Might Be Set To Follow Miyazaki’s Elden Ring Masterstroke As Neil Druckmann Hints On Future Plans

Naughty Dog is known for its linear, story-driven games like The Last of Us and Uncharted. But the studio is reportedly planning a bold change in its next game. According to recent sources, the studio’s upcoming project will embrace more “player freedom,” a concept previously unexplored in Naughty Dog’s repertoire.

This change is intriguing, as studio co-president Neil Druckmann has previously expressed admiration for titles like Elden Ring. Naughty Dog’s next game might be one that allows players to explore and uncover stories at their own pace. Whether it’s good is yet to be seen but Naughty Dog has the track record for it.

Naughty Dog Might Be Cooking Up a Miyazaki-like Masterpiece

In a recent MinnMax podcast episode, Ben Hanson, founder of MinnMax, shared some crumbs from an insider who worked on the upcoming Naughty Dog project. According to Hanson, the insider described the game as “amazing” and compared it to a title known for its player freedom.

Linear makes the story soooo much better but if they can capture that storytelling in an open world game with the same graphics and gameplay then we are talking about a generational game

— Dale Murray (@Money_Murray13) October 21, 2024

This shift indicates that Naughty Dog may be ready to embrace a more expansive, player-driven design, something fans of the studio’s previous titles might not expect.

Druckmann has previously expressed his admiration for games like Elden Ring and Inside, which rely less on traditional narrative methods like cutscenes and dialogue to tell their stories.

Instead, these games immerse players in their worlds through exploration and environmental storytelling, allowing players to piece together the narrative themselves.

Speaking to The Washington Post, Druckmann noted that he finds this approach more engaging,

To me, right now, that’s some of the best joy I get out of games that trust their audience to figure things out…that don’t hold your hand, that’s the stuff I’m really intrigued by going forward.

This comment has gotten fans wondering if Naughty Dog’s future projects, including The Last of Us 3, might feature an open-ended. There are a lot of voices for and against it. And until the studio actually does it, we won’t know if it’s good.

The Studio Has a Good Track Record, so There’s Nothing to Worry About…Yet

Player freedom has not always been the main focus of Naughty Dog’s design philosophy, but the studio has tried it in recent years. Uncharted 4 introduced semi-open-world areas, and The Last of Us Part 2 expanded on this idea with its early Seattle chapter, where players were given more freedom to explore.

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However, these were still relatively restrained compared to the big and sprawling worlds seen in games like Elden Ring. If the rumors are true, Naughty Dog’s next project could take this experimentation to the next level, offering players a more expansive and less guided experience.

This potential change in design philosophy doesn’t mean abandoning everything the studio is known for. Druckmann has made it clear that character-driven stories and philosophical themes will still be central to the studio’s work.

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His interest in moving away from the traditional narrative-heavy structure is not an abandonment of story, but rather a rethinking of how it can be delivered. To him, storytelling tools like dialogue and cutscenes should be part of a larger toolbox, used with environmental storytelling and player exploration.

As we await further announcements, one thing is clear. Naughty Dog’s next game could make or break the studio’s legacy. As fans of both Elden Ring and The Last of Us, we can only hope the devs find the right balance between the two.

What do you think? Can Druckmann and the studio pull it off? Let us know in the comments!