The series would only continue if there was a concept strong enough to justify a sequel. "For years," Druckmann admits, "I haven't been able to find that." However, it seems he has now found it, and there is "probably one more chapter to this story."
The Last of Us 3: Neil Druckmann Confirms He Is Working On It
Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog had previously mentioned the possibility of The Last of Us Part 3 in the Script Apart podcast in 2021. A potential story for a sequel to Part 2 has already been outlined by Druckmann and his co-author, Halley Gross.
Now it appears that this idea was set aside for a new concept. Druckmann didn't reveal details, but he mentioned that the concept is "its own thing." However, there is apparently a connection between the first two games and this new concept.
Rumors about The Last of Us Part 3 being in development exist, but none are confirmed. Even if The Last of Us Part 3 becomes a reality, it will take some time before the game is released. Naughty Dog has other titles in development, making the continuation of the story after Part 2 challenging.
Druckmann previously mentioned the difficulty of finding the emotional core of the story in Part 2 compared to Part 1, due to players' experiences and previous knowledge. Therefore, emotionally engaging fans and bringing innovations in The Last of Us Part 3 will be even more challenging.
The original Last of Us was released in 2013, and Part II came out seven years later in 2020. Assuming a similar timeline, we speculate that a third game might be released in 2029 at the earliest. Patience is required, but speculation is always fun!
How The Story Could Continue In The Last of Us Part 3
Spoiler Alert: The following section contains spoilers for The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II.
In the second game, Ellie sought revenge for Joel's murder and navigated her relationship with her girlfriend, Dina. Players know that many questions were left unanswered: Ellie spared Abby, and Dina disappeared after Ellie ignored her pleas to stay.
There is ample room for a continuation with Ellie as the main character, a desire shared by many players. It's likely that Abby will return, and a third main character with a new personal story could be introduced.
In The Last of Us Part 3, the story could come full circle. The Last of Us 2 primarily focused on the conflict between Ellie and Abby, grappling with personal losses. The Cordyceps pandemic, however, was rarely discussed.
This overarching narrative might conclude in Part 3. A possible scenario could involve Abby taking on her father's legacy to develop the vaccine, with Ellie carrying the antibody. This would allow Ellie to complete what Joel couldn't bring himself to do. The narrative order would be: love, revenge, redemption (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), especially when Ellie and Abby must cooperate, providing potential for exciting conflicts. Personally, I hope Naughty Dog opts for a happy ending.
Other Projects From Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog is a highly active studio with multiple projects underway. They recently discontinued the multiplayer spin-off for The Last of Us.
Persistent rumors suggest that Naughty Dog is working on a Fantasy-themed game. This fantasy game was seemingly teased in The Last of Us Part 1 remake. However, these are still rumors and leaks, so it's wise to approach this information with a healthy dose of skepticism.
The Last of Us Part 3 Recommended Requirements
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X, Intel Core i7-8700
- RAM: 16 GB
- VIDEO CARD: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT (8 GB), AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (8 GB), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER (8 GB), NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 (8 GB)
- DEDICATED VIDEO RAM: 8192 MB
- PIXEL SHADER: 5.1
- VERTEX SHADER: 5.1
- OS: Windows 10 (Version 1909 or Newer)
- FREE DISK SPACE: 100 GB