Summary
Recent job listings atNaughty Dogseem to confirm that the studio is working on a brand-new, single-player game.Naughty Doghas had a long career releasing hit titles and franchises for PlayStation consoles, even before it was formally acquired by Sony back in 2001. It started with colorful platformers like the first fewCrash Bandicootgames and theJak and Daxterseries before moving on to theUnchartedfranchise in the late 2000s. In more recent years, Naughty Dog has been known forThe Last of Us, an action-adventure series set in a post-apocalyptic world that was recently adapted into a hit live-action television show.
Earlier this week, Naughty Dog co-president and head of creativeNeil Druckmann teased his studio’s next big projectduring an interview with Sony, saying that it will aim to redefine gaming and bridge the gap between seasoned gamers and non-gaming audiences. While he shied away from giving out too many details about this mystery project, he considers it to be one of his “dream projects” and left open the possibility of it being the start of a new franchise or an adaptation of an existing IP.
Naughty Dog has since posted several job listings, including one for an experienced Environment Concept Artist to help create in-game environments and props in afuture Naughty Dog project. The summary of this job listing claims that Naughty Dog is currently “busy at the kennel working on a brand-new single-player game,” a line that has been featured in other recent job offers. The summary itself is similar to those of past postings, except that before this week it described Naughty Dog as working on PC ports ofThe Last of Usrather than a new project.
Naughty Dog Job Posting Seemingly Confirms New Project
Sure enough, most of Naughty Dog’s past few releases have been either updates or PC ports of existing titles. The studio’s last completelynew game wasThe Last of Us Part 2, which was released in 2020. 2022 saw Naughty Dog releaseUncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, an updated compilation ofUncharted 4: A Thief’s EndandUncharted: The Lost Legacyfor PS5 and PC, andThe Last of Us Part 1, a PS5 remake of the 2013 original that was later ported to PC a year later. January sawThe Last of Us Part 2 Remasteredlaunch on PS5, with rumors of a PC port coming later this year.
All of these remakes and remasters of past games make news ofNaughty Dog developing a brand-new titleall the sweeter for fans, though there is currently very little to go on regarding what it is. In 2021, Neil Druckmann said that he would like to make aPunisherorGhost Ridergame for Marvel, but the jury is still out onNaughty Dog’s next big project being an adaptation of an existing IP, a sequel to one of the studio’s many franchises, or something entirely new.
