Naughty Dog’s Magnum opus, The Last of Us, currently has two mainline entries in the series. The first game, which came out back in 2013, is one of the most influential releases in the AAA gaming industry. In terms of storytelling and visual spectacle, it set up bars that are rarely paralleled by any games that came after it.  

The franchise is currently being adapted into a critically acclaimed drama series on HBO’s streaming service. The show has brought a fresh wave of attention that has made the fans speculate if there will be a third entry in the series. Answering the curiosity of the community, the co-creator and director of the series, Neil Druckmann shared what could be the potential future of the Last of Us. 

Neil Drukmann gives an update on Last of Us part 3

The answer is most probably no. There won’t be a part 3 of the Last of Us. The story very clearly came to a close in the second game. Both protagonists, Joel and Ellie, went on their personal journeys and completed their character arcs. That is why part three may feel forced and unnecessary, which the developers wholeheartedly respect. 

“..now our focus is on we have the multiplayer game… 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 we… it ends in part two,” said Neil Druckmann. Giving a clear message to the fans that unless they find any interesting story leads that they want to tell, there won’t be any more new entries in the series. 

Read more: The Last of Us: Amidst the Much-Awaited Brother’s Reunion, This Emotional ‘Joel-Ellie’ Episode 6 Scene Will Make Fans Cry Once Again

Also, there is the mention of this mysterious, “multiplayer” game that Naughty Dog is currently developing. According to sources, the development for the game started back in 2020 and the official revelation may happen somewhere in 2023. There are theories and speculation, but nothing concrete yet about what this game will be. 

Why was  TLOU 2 hated? 

While the first part of the game was highly acclaimed and universally loved by critics and fans alike, the second entry in the series managed to garner a lot of criticism and backlash due to the way it handled the main protagonists and their arcs. Most of the backlash came from the outcome of Joel, who, according to many, was terribly disrespected by the story. 

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What do you think about the future of the Last of Us? Share your thoughts in the comments below!