The Last of Us Part 3 has been on the minds of fans of the series since the release of Part 2 in 2020. While Naughty Dog has yet to officially announce the game, rumors and speculation about a potential sequel have been circulating for months. Here’s what we know so far about The Last of Us Part 3 update.
Could there be a Last of Us Part 3?
Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog mentioned a potential The Last of Us Part 3 in the Script Apart podcast a long time ago. A possible story for a sequel to Part 2 has already been outlined by Druckmann and his co-author Halley Gross. But the director remains very tight-lipped about a possible third game in the series.
The Last of Us Creator Teases Part 3 Chances
Having been asked by IGN if the existence of HBO’s The Last of Us TV show would impact his future efforts and storytelling in the gaming franchise, franchise creator Neil Druckmann gave “no comment,” revealing his current focus is on the upcoming multiplayer spin-off which they will share more about “later this year:”
“That is like a coded ‘Is there a Last of Us Part 3?’ No comment. I’ll just say our focus on… We have the multiplayer game coming out and we’re going to reveal more about that later this year.
Concerning whether The Last of Us Part 3 may be on the table, Druckmann insisted that they would have to find “a really good, compelling story” to justify continuing, otherwise, Part 2 will mark the end of the franchise:
“Beyond that, it’s the same prospect we’ve always had. We don’t do something that we’re not extremely passionate about. So unless we had a really good, compelling story to keep the story going, then it ends at ‘Part 2.'”
Just weeks ago, Druckmann was similarly asked on the topic of The Last of Us Part 3 by Buzzfeed, revealing that publisher Sony has applied no pressure, leaving it up to developer Naughty Dog “whether [they] want to continue or not:”
“We’re very privileged that our publisher is Sony. They have supported us every step of the way to follow our passions — meaning that just because something is successful, people think there’s all this pressure and we have to make a sequel. That’s not the case. For us, Uncharted was insanely successful — ‘Uncharted 4’ was one of our best-selling games — and we’re able to put our final brushstroke on that story and say that we’re done. We’re moving on. Likewise, with ‘The Last of Us,’ it’s up to us whether we want to continue or not.”
The Future of the Series
Neil Druckmann, the director of The Last of Us series, has been tight-lipped about the future of the franchise. However, in an interview with GQ in 2020, he hinted that there is potential for a third game. “As you start wrapping things up, creatively there are fewer and fewer responsibilities and my mind can’t help but think about the next thing,” he said.
Potential Storylines
The Last of Us Part 2 ended with several loose ends that could be explored in a third game. The fate of Ellie and Abby was left open-ended, and there are several questions left unanswered about the Fireflies and the fate of humanity. Some fans have speculated that a third game could focus on a new set of characters entirely, while others believe it will continue the story of Ellie and Abby.
Development Status
While Naughty Dog has not officially announced The Last of Us Part 3, there have been reports that the game is in early development. In a 2021 interview with Game Informer, Druckmann stated that the studio is working on “several cool things,” but did not give any specifics about The Last of Us Part 3.
Release Date
As of now, there is no official release date for The Last of Us Part 3. Given that the game is reportedly in early development, it’s unlikely that we’ll see a release for several years. However, given the success of the first two games in the series, it’s safe to assume that there will be a lot of excitement and anticipation surrounding any news about a potential release date.
Why the Last of Us 3 Unlikely (For Now)
Naughty Dog has never been one to develop sequels for the sake of continuing a successful franchise, as can be seen with both The Last of Us and Uncharted franchises being on something of a hiatus. Clearly, the focus of Neil Druckmann and the studio is on telling the meaningful stories that are worth telling.
After all, it is the value behind those stories that has led Naughty Dog to become regarded among the best storytellers in gaming. That being said, they are clearly still keeping the door open to continuing The Last of Us franchise by floating ideas around the studio and throwing together potential story outlines.
Druckmann insists that Sony and PlayStation never pushed for Naughty Dog to bring back The Last of Us and Uncharted franchises, despite how much revenue they undoubtedly generated. Hopefully HBO will be a similarly supportive partner in not pushing to create Part 3 just to have more seasons of material.
From the sounds of it, unless something changes and any idea comes out of Druckmann’s brain, fans shouldn’t hold out hope for The Last of Us Part 3. But perhaps the mysterious multiplayer spin-off will hold a story of its own to satisfy that craving and expand the post-apocalyptic world.
While The Last of Us Part 3 might not be in the workings right now, Naughty Dog have given some hints on another one of their iconic franchises getting a latest instalment in Uncharted 5.
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