Look, let's be honest, Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann has just sent the internet into a bit of a tailspin by dropping heavy hints about the next chapter in The Last of Us universe.

In what the publisher calls a chat with the Washington Post on November 3rd, Druckmann officially greenlit the concept of a follow-up to the post-apocalyptic icon. When probed about the third season of the HBO adaptation, Druckmann noted that while the show might eventually roll credits, it is vital to point out that we are not entirely finished with The Last of Us. They added, with what feels like a cheeky grin, that several projects are currently in production which they are terribly excited to chat about when the right moment finally arrives.

Naturally, the exact title of this mysterious next project remains under wraps. Ever since that San Francisco-set multiplayer spin-off was quietly tossed into the bin back in December 2023, Naughty Dog has been laser-focused on finishing their single-player sci-fi action adventure, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (hereafter Intergalactic).

Consequently, solid intel regarding any new The Last of Us project will likely only crawl to the surface after that space-bound newcomer hits store shelves. Given that Intergalactic still hides its cards close to its chest, revealing precious little beyond a protagonist and an interstellar setting, we reckon it is going to be a terribly long wait before we hear any actual details about the next big thing.

Naturally, players have greeted the news with Mixed feelings. Some die-hards are chuffed to bits that the beloved franchise's legacy refuses to die and are ready to back whatever Naughty Dog cooks up next. On the flip side, plenty of cynical voices are throwing sharp jabs, with comments like, "Well, they haven't even released Part 2 on PC properly yet, so obviously they need to make a sequel," and "Who are they planning to make suffer this time, then?"