Highlights

  • Naughty Dog may benefit from a change by embracing a singular story for its next project.
  • A one-off game with a small-scale world could provide a breath of fresh air for the developer.
  • Subverting expectations with a new IP could help further evolve Naughty Dog's formula.

Naughty Dog is currently at a crossroads. Despite the incredible success of Max's live adaptation of The Last of Us, the developer's future work is completely shrouded in mystery. Through the years, Naughty Dog has established itself as one of the most influential developers in gaming, but pulling back the reins with its next project may be the best move to get the company back on track.

Since its founding in 1984, Naughty Dog has come an incredibly long way. Although there were a series of games under the developer's belt, Naughty Dog really hit its stride in the mid-90s with the introduction of Crash Bandicoot. This game would be the catalyst that made Naughty Dog a staple developer for PlayStation exclusive titles. Since that breakout success, Naughty Dog has birthed some incredible games for PlayStation, like Uncharted and The Last of Us. One of the studio's main calling cards is its affinity for embracing sequels and building franchises, but the company may benefit from a change.

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Naughty Dog's Next Project Should Embrace A Singular Story

Since Crash Bandicoot's 1996 release, every original IP Naughty Dog has developed has spawned a variety of sequels or spin-offs. Following The Last of Us 2, Naughty Dog had planned to continue this tradition with The Last of Us Online, but this project ultimately fell through. Although the prospect of an online multiplayer version of The Last of Us was exciting, deciding to can the project may have proven to be the best move. Now, Naughty Dog has the perfect opportunity to take a breather before jumping further into an expansive franchise.

A One-Off Naughty Dog Game Could Provide a Breath of Fresh Air

Naughty Dog is incredibly talented at building huge, cinematic worlds, but the studio may have also created its own worst enemy with this method. The story of The Last of Us 3 is in a tricky spot due to the massive scale of its world and story-telling, so a one-off title that doesn't look far ahead into the future may be just what the developer needs.

There have been some recent rumors suggesting that Naughty Dog's next game is a brand-new IP. These claims could very well be false, but if Naughty Dog is indeed set to produce a new IP, a singular story with a small-scale world would be a welcome change of pace. The Uncharted games told an incredibly epic adventure with Nathan Drake, and The Last of Us' main story seems to be reaching its end. A single one-off narrative that has no intention of building upon itself would be an exciting challenge for Naughty Dog to take on.

Naughty Dog Subverting Expectations

For many, The Last of Us 3 seems like the next obvious project for Naughty Dog. A third entry in The Last of Us series needs to happen, but there needs to be plenty of time to craft a satisfying conclusion to Ellie's story. Naughty Dog's next original IP could be a great pit stop while the wait for The Last of Us 3 continues.

Naughty Dog's formula has proven to work incredibly well, but sometimes subverting expectations is the best plan of action to further evolve. The loss of The Last of Us Online is disappointing, but it could be a blessing in disguise for the iconic developer. It's been a while since Naughty Dog has introduced a completely new story and characters, and it would be great to see the studio craft a tight-knit world that is well-contained in one title.