In a recent interview on the Press X to Continue podcast, Neil Druckmann, the chief of Naughty Dog, unveiled that the studio is currently developing a mysterious second game alongside the already announced Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. While Druckmann collaborates with Matthew Gallant and Kurt Margenau as game directors and co-writes with narrative director Claire Carré on Intergalactic, he remains tight-lipped about the specifics of the second project, only hinting at his role as a producer and mentor to another team.

Druckmann expressed his enthusiasm for juggling various roles within the studio, stating, "I enjoy all those roles, and the fact I jump between one to the next, it makes my job very exciting and always feeling fresh. I’m never bored." This dynamic approach to his responsibilities keeps his work engaging and invigorating.

While Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is further along in development, the nature of the second game remains a tantalizing mystery. Speculation abounds on what this unannounced title could be. Could it be The Last of Us 3? Druckmann has mentioned having an ending in mind for a potential sequel, though his producer role on the mystery game suggests it might not be this highly anticipated title. Alternatively, could it be a new entry in the Uncharted series, absent since 2017's The Lost Legacy? Or perhaps Naughty Dog is venturing into a brand new intellectual property?

Recent years have been challenging for Naughty Dog, marked by the cancellation of The Last of Us Online in December 2023 to refocus on single-player experiences. Historically, the studio has found it difficult to manage two major projects simultaneously, often prioritizing one over the other. Since the release of The Last of Us 2 in 2020, Naughty Dog has primarily worked on remakes and collections.

As for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, it boasts a stellar cast including Tati Gabrielle from the Uncharted movie and Kumail Nanjiani of Marvel's Eternals. Although not expected to launch until at least 2027, Druckmann shared his excitement about the game's current state during IGN's coverage of The Last of Us Season 2 premiere, saying, "I will say we are playing it at the office and it's incredible... It's really good. I'm so excited to finally put gameplay out into the world and show people about it, because we just showed you the very, very, very tip on the iceberg. The game goes pretty deep beyond that."