Naughty Dog struck gold in 2013 with the launch of its post-apocalyptic, survival horror franchise The Last of Us. Considering the continued success of the series, and finding a new audience with the recent The Last of Us HBO TV show, a third entry in The Last of Us 3 seems inevitable. However, since Naughty Dog's hands are full with the announcement of an original IP and ongoing production on its troubled The Last of Us multiplayer project, it's unclear when this third game will hit the scene.
That being said, it is possible to examine the industry and past release schedules to make an educated guess regarding when The Last of Us 3 will eventually launch. One key clue can be put under the microscope, and it relates to how The Last of Us franchise has lined up so far with the state of gaming hardware around it.
The Last of Us - Capping Off a Console Generation
The original The Last of Us game first became available exclusively on PlayStation 3 during the Summer of 2013. It marked a landmark achievement in both narrative and technical possibilities in a video game and provided the PS3 with a stellar swan song before the console passed the baton to its successor, the PlayStation 4. Even with the next generation already looming on the horizon and several games having already been previewed, The Last of Us running on aging hardware still managed to impress just as much as these games benefiting from shiny new platforms.
Flash forward seven years and history repeated itself. As the PS4 entered its twilight years, and the PS5 ramped up development for launch in late 2020, Naughty Dog once again lined up another The Last of Us game starring Joel and Ellie. This time pushing the PS4 to its limits, The Last of Us 2 marked an astounding achievement for what was thought possible on the console, even when considering the already impressive titles like Marvel's Spider-Man and God of War. Naughty Dog upped the ante and outdid anything it created prior, effectively helping the second PlayStation console in a row go out on a high note.
Lining Up The Last of Us 3 With The Launch of PS6
The current generation of gaming is in full swing, with the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S reaching roughly the three-year mark in terms of age. Most gaming life cycles tend to last around seven years, but with the chip shortage and COVID-19 plaguing production of these newer platforms earlier in the generation, there is the notion that it may be extended slightly to gain more mileage out of the current technology. Some rumors even peg the PS6 not arriving until 2028, which gives the current consoles plenty of breathing room left on the market.
What this means is that Naughty Dog has plenty of time to cook up another adventure in The Last of Us universe before the current console life cycle is over. Neil Druckmann has a draft written of The Last of Us 3, so there are clearly discussions for a potential third game in the works at the studio. Both The Last of Us games were huge undertakings for the studio, taking several years to produce. However, with seven years separating the first and second game, seeing the third launch in 2027/2028 near the end of the PS5 lifespan would line up with previous launch windows in the franchise.
The Last of Us games are standout titles in their own right, but it seems like Naughty Dog enjoys using them as endcaps to show off all it learned during a console generation. Being placed directly at the end of a console's life means Naughty Dog has learned all the tricks and inner workings of a platform and can deliver another technically dazzling adventure for players, and The Last of Us 3 could deliver before the PS6 launches.
The Last of Us Part 3 is not confirmed to be in development.