The Last of Us is coming back. In a letter celebrating The Last of Us Day 2026, Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann confirmed the studio has two new projects in The Last of Us universe in the works — though he is keeping almost everything else about them to himself.
“A Couple of Very Exciting New Projects”
“We have a couple of very exciting new projects in very early stages — so we can’t say much about them at this point,” Druckmann wrote in the studio update. “I will tell you that both projects will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II. 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.”
It is the first time in years that Naughty Dog has openly acknowledged multiple active Last of Us developments. The phrasing — expanding the canon “beyond Part I and Part II” — suggests new characters, new timelines or new regions, rather than a direct Part III continuing the arcs fans already know.
Games, Shows, or Something Else Entirely?
Here is the catch: Druckmann never says the projects are games. As Kotaku notes, “projects” could mean new transmedia collaborations — TV, film or animation, or even a comic for all we know. With HBO’s adaptation seemingly set to wrap after season 3, Naughty Dog may be planning entirely new ways to tell Last of Us stories on screen as well as in games. For now, the studio is not saying.
Intergalactic Stays in the Oven Until 2027
The letter also addressed Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the studio’s sci-fi game first revealed in 2024 — and it is staying dark for a while. “We’re going to be quiet for the rest of this year,” Druckmann wrote. “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… We need to cook for just a little bit longer.”
The update came with new art of protagonist Jordan with her trademark sword, staring into a wooded area overtaken by red alien matter. KitGuru reports the team is “heads down” on what Druckmann describes as the studio’s most ambitious game yet.
A Long Wait After The Last of Us Online
The confirmation bookends a generation of speculation. Fans have asked about The Last of Us Part 3 for the entire PS5 era, and the one new game that was officially in the works — The Last of Us Online — was canceled in the home stretch over concerns that post-launch support would monopolize the studio’s development resources. With Naughty Dog still focused on shipping Intergalactic, we likely will not learn what these two new projects actually are for quite some time.
Sources
- Kotaku — Multiple Last Of Us Projects In ‘Early Stages’ That Will ‘Expand’ The Canon Beyond Part I And II
- Eurogamer — Naughty Dog confirms two more The Last of Us projects are in the works, won’t show off Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet until 2027
- KitGuru — Naughty Dog confirms plans for new Last of Us games