Naughty Dog closed out The Last of Us Day 2026 with a message from studio head Neil Druckmann that no fan of the series will want to sleep on: two new Last of Us projects are currently in development. Starting from The Last of Us Part I and its sequel, the series has defined a generation of story-driven gaming, and now it sounds like Naughty Dog has serious plans to push it further.
What Druckmann actually said (and didn't say)
Druckmann posted a message to the Naughty Dog blog to cap off the day's festivities, which also included clicker-inspired armor dropping for Ghost of Yōtei and discounts on the PC versions of both mainline Last of Us games. His note on the new projects was deliberately vague, but still meaningful.
"We have a couple of very exciting new projects in very early stages," Druckmann wrote. "I will tell you that both projects will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part 1 and Part 2."
Here's the thing: "expand the canon" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. It rules out a straight remake or remaster, and it stops short of confirming a Part 3. What it does suggest is that Naughty Dog sees this world as having more story left to tell, in directions that haven't been mapped yet.
"The world of The Last of Us means a great deal to us, and we wouldn't return to it unless we had something meaningful to say. We believe these stories are worth telling," Druckmann added.
Reasons to be excited, reasons to stay cautious
Two projects sounds like a lot, and it is, but Naughty Dog's track record here comes with a footnote. The studio spent years building a multiplayer Last of Us game before canceling it entirely in late 2023. That project never made it out the door despite significant investment of time and resources.
There's no reason to assume history repeats itself, but it's worth keeping expectations calibrated. Early-stage development is exactly that. Projects change shape, get shelved, or pivot dramatically before they ever reach announcement. What Druckmann confirmed today is intent, not a release roadmap.
That said, the framing of "two projects" expanding the canon does hint at ambition. Whether that means a prequel exploring the early outbreak years, a story set in a different part of the world, or something else entirely is pure speculation at this point.
Intergalactic is still the main event for now
Druckmann was also careful to frame these Last of Us projects as secondary to the studio's current focus. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, first revealed at The Game Awards 2024, remains Naughty Dog's primary project, and Druckmann described the team as "heads down" on what he called the studio's "most ambitious game yet."
He also gave a concrete timeline for when fans can expect more. "In 2027, that changes. We'll fully reveal Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and give you a proper look at Jordan's wild sci-fi adventure."
The key here is that phrasing essentially rules out a new Intergalactic trailer at this year's Game Awards. Sony's typical State of Play windows in February and June make 2027 the more realistic target for a full reveal.
So the picture right now is a studio juggling three active projects at different stages: one nearly ready to show the world, and two others still being shaped from the ground up.
What this means for the series going forward
The Last of Us has grown well beyond its games. The HBO series has brought Joel and Ellie's story to a massive new audience, which almost certainly factors into Naughty Dog's thinking about where to take the franchise next. Two canon-expanding projects suggest the studio sees the IP as a long-running world rather than a two-game story that's run its course.
For players who want to revisit the series while waiting for more news, the Last of Us Part I guide collection covers everything from the main story to accessibility options and collectibles. And if you're looking to catch up on other games in the meantime, the full gaming guides hub has you covered across the board.
The next concrete piece of Last of Us news likely won't come until Naughty Dog is ready to talk Intergalactic properly. After that, the conversation about what comes next for Joel and Ellie's world can really begin.
