Naughty Dog Co-President Teases 'Thrilling' New Project

Naughty Dog

By Matthew Schomer

Published May 23, 2024

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Naughty Dog

Highlights

Naughty Dog's upcoming project, teased by Neil Druckmann, aims to redefine gaming and bridge the gap between gamers and non-gamers.
Druckmann sees AI as a useful tool in game development but cautions against over-reliance on it, advocating for a balance with human creativity.
The new project could be a new franchise or a sequel to one of the studio's existing IP.

Neil Druckmann, co-president and head of creative at Naughty Dog, is raising excitement for a new project that could redefine the way people look at video games. In an interview released on May 23, Druckmann did not state what Naughty Dog's upcoming project is exactly but called it "perhaps the most thrilling yet."

Founded in 1984, Naughty Dog has created multiple successful franchises over the years, breaking through with Crash Bandicoot in 1996 and following it up with Jak and Daxter,Uncharted, and The Last of Us. Druckmann has helped the studio to cross over into the world of television as well, serving as executive producer and writer for the cinematic Last of Us TV show adaptation on HBO, which premiered in January 2023.

naughty-dog-at-crossroads-after-last-of-us-3-game-rant

After The Last of Us 3, Naughty Dog Will Be at a Crossroads

The Last of Us 3 has a whole lot of ground to cover, and once that is done, Naughty Dog's franchise needs to make a big decision.

Druckmann's comments in the recently released interview with Sony leave a lot of interpretation as to just what this upcoming project could be, though he did cite the success of the television series, which he sees as a bridge between gamers and non-gamers. The show's popularity spans across age groups and increases the visibility of gaming as an entertainment medium, and he's hoping to use that expansive momentum with this new game to continue to draw attention to Naughty Dog for a worldwide audience, noting that "it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming." With The Last of Us: Part 3 already confirmed, the new project could be an entirely new franchise or an adaptation of an existing IP. He listed this new game among his "dream projects," and while he's keeping mum on the details for now, a 2021 query revealed Druckmann's Marvel dreams of making a Punisher or Ghost Rider video game, also listing Cowboy Bebop, Half Life, and Hotline Miami among the franchises he'd like to get his creative hands on.

Druckmann Lists the Pros and Cons of AI

Along with teasing Naughty Dog's newest project, Druckmann also made a lot of comments about the use of AI in game development, and while he sees it as a useful tool, he also cautioned aspiring developers against relying on it too much. Technology is ever-advancing, and Druckmann pointed out that Naughty Dog's team hand animated the art for Jak and Daxter before moving on to its celebrated use of motion capture in Uncharted. Technology has now even advanced to the point that mo-cap actors can now work from home, and moving forward technologically, he sees the potential for AI technology to help Naughty Dog in creating new characters and writing dialogue.

However, he identified AI as a tool for developers, not a replacement for them, calling new designers entering the field "so much more talented and capable than me when I was their age," and expressing a desire to create an environment where their ideas are valued. Druckmann seems committed to embracing new technology and looks forward to games that can hit more of the player's senses than just sight and sound. With peripherals like the Resident Evil 7 4D candle adding a sense of smell to the game back in 2017, those ideas could hit the mainstream sooner than later.