Highlights

  • Neil Druckmann's interest in developing a Punisher game has sparked speculation, but there is no evidence to suggest that a Marvel game is currently being developed by Naughty Dog.
  • Naughty Dog's strengths in crafting intense, combat-focused gameplay make a Punisher game a more logical fit than a Daredevil game, as the former relies heavily on gunplay.
  • One possible solution to satisfy fans of both Punisher and Daredevil would be to have both characters as playable protagonists in the same game, allowing Naughty Dog to showcase different gameplay mechanics for each character. This would also capitalize on their shared history in the comics and Netflix series.

Ever since Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann name-dropped the Punisher as a Marvel character he’d be interested in developing a game around it’s been intriguing to speculate about what that would look like. There’s already a lot about Naughty Dog’s work that makes a Punisher game a perfect match, too, and it’s easy to see why a tragic, violent Punisher game would be in the right hands.

There is currently nothing to suggest a Punisher game is in development besides baseless rumors stirred by Druckmann’s seemingly innocent remark.

That said, it has long been considered unfortunate that Naughty Dog hasn’t been working on a Daredevil game. Indeed, both Punisher and Daredevil meet the qualifications of a meaty, grounded—pun intended—superhero Naughty Dog could chew on, offering the harrowing stories and pulse-pounding combat that Naughty Dog is known for now. Both characters are on the table for a Naughty Dog adaptation until the developer states otherwise, and choosing both of them rather than one might be its best potential course of action.

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Naughty Dog Shouldn’t Need to Pick Between Punisher and Daredevil

Why a Naughty Dog Punisher Game Makes More Sense Than Daredevil

It comes down to the fact that while Naughty Dog’s games aren’t all necessarily centered on gunplay and shooter mechanics, they are nearly all shooters in essence now. Uncharted is arguably more of a shooter than The Last of Us, which has diverse melee options in combat as well as a plethora of firearms, but it’s still undeniable The Last of Us is rooted in the same gameplay. Therefore, a standalone Punisher game would make more sense because Naughty Dog could lean on its foundational strengths and amplify them further, while a standalone Daredevil game would need to shelve guns entirely.

The only distinct feature Naughty Dog would be able to immersively transfer into a Daredevil game is its Listening mode, and while that could be excellent it would still deny Naughty Dog what it has shaped its last handful of games around if Daredevil’s melee and traversal options weren’t exceptional. The Last of Us’ melee encounters are gripping and have incredibly satisfying finishers, but the blind lawyer from Hell’s Kitchen would need to be far more agile and acrobatic than Joel or even Nathan Drake in order to truly sell that style of fluid combat.

Naughty Dog Could Marry Punisher and Daredevil as Dual Protagonists

Instead, a viable solution that could appease the desire for both a Punisher and a Daredevil game would be to have both playable in the same game. Say Naughty Dog develops a Punisher game, for example; it can feature Frank Castle and Matt Murdock together as protagonists to split those gameplay mechanics, similar to how Abby has a unique play style apart from Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2.

This way, half of the game could embellish gunplay while the other half embellishes traversal, and both could have distinguished differences in melee combat. Punisher and Daredevil also have the added advantage of sharing many stories together, so it wouldn’t be difficult for Naughty Dog to explain why and how they’re together in the game.

Of course, since Punisher and Daredevil have popularly crossed over in the Netflix series they each eponymously starred in, the only issue might be making their pairing feel authentic and original. More superhero games are being announced as ensembles while maintaining their single-player nature than ever, and a tag-team duo with Punisher and Daredevil would be a match made in heaven for Naughty Dog’s skillset.