Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann reflects on the 10th anniversary of The Last of Us, provides an update on the upcoming multiplayer title, and teases the future of the franchise. It's been a good couple of years for Naughty Dog and its Last of Us franchise. The highly anticipated Last of Us Part 2 arrived in 2020 and went on to receive near universal acclaim from critics as well as being awarded with accolades from Game of the Year to Best Narrative, Audio Design, Performance, and many more.
Not wanting to lose that momentum, Naughty Dog then followed that up with a remake of the 2013 game for the PS5 and soon on the PC. While some questioned whether or not another version of the first game needed to be remade so soon, the move has helped keep the franchise relevant alongside the upcoming release of The Last of Us TV series on HBO, which stars Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in the two lead roles. 2023 appears to be another big year for Naughty Dog who took a moment to reflect on the 10th anniversary of the popular franchise.
Co-president of Naughty Dog, Neil Druckmann, posted a new blog on the company's website offering a look back at The Last of Us, while also looked ahead to what he calls a milestone year. While the franchise turns 10 in June, Druckmann went on to thank fans for their support of the series and shared that it has sold more than 37 million copies globally as of December 2022. He also touched on the upcoming HBO series and revealed that over the course of the show's season, they'll have an inside look at the franchise and what went on behind-the-scenes to bring these characters and the world to life.
The blog also touched on some of the things fans can expect during the 10th anniversary of The Last of Us. While the company seems to have plans specifically set for June along with some "fun surprises," the big reveal here is that more details are coming later this year on the upcoming Last of Us multiplayer game. Druckmann confirmed that the title is being led by Vinit Agarwal, Joe Pettinati, and Anthony Newman and even shared a new piece of concept art for the project that has been called a fresh and new experience.
This year should be a good one for Last of Us fans, especially for those wondering what's next for the company and franchise. While Neil Druckmann has already confirmed that the studio is working on a new game that will be structured more like a TV show, recent rumors have indicated that a third mainline game in the Last of Us series is currently in development as well. Either way, there appears to be plenty to look forward to.
Source: Naughty Dog
