Naughty Dog’s Got a Secret Game in the Works—And It’s Not Intergalactic

Just when you thought Naughty Dog was fully booked with its space-faring epic Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Neil Druckmann drops a classic “oh by the way” moment that has fans frothing with curiosity. According to the creative force behind The Last of Us and Uncharted, the studio has a second game in development—and no, it hasn’t been announced yet.

Speaking on the Press X to Continue podcast, Druckmann revealed that while he’s deeply involved with Intergalactic, he’s also mentoring another team working on a different game where he’s taking on more of a producer role. And just like that, the internet is once again playing detective.

Speculation

Let’s break down what we know. Druckmann confirmed the second game exists, but didn’t name it, describe it, or so much as give a setting. Just this:

“There’s another game that’s being worked on at Naughty Dog where I am more of a producer… I get to mentor and watch this other team and give feedback.”

This has left fans wondering: if it’s not Intergalactic, and it’s not the long-dead The Last of Us Online, then what is it? Naturally, the theory machine has gone into overdrive.

You’d think a new TLOU would be an easy guess, right? After all, Druckmann has hinted in the past that he knows how the story ends. But given he’s only producing this mystery game and not directing it, chances are it’s not the third part of the Joel-and-Ellie saga. If anything, he’d be all over that project like clickers on a flashlight beam. So, unless Naughty Dog is giving the reins to a new director (bold move, but not impossible), The Last of Us Part III is probably not the secret title.

Uncharted Returns? It’s Been a Hot Minute…

Now this one’s juicier. The last original Uncharted game (The Lost Legacy) came out back in 2017. Fans have been begging for a new treasure hunt, and the franchise did get a popularity bump thanks to the Tom Holland movie. With Druckmann in a producer role, it’s not hard to imagine a new team taking the helm for a fresh Uncharted while he watches over things like a proud, puzzle-solving dad. We’re not saying Nathan Drake is back—but someone might be following his map.

Or Could It Be… A Brand New IP?

Let’s not forget Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is itself a bold new direction for Naughty Dog. It’s set in a sci-fi universe, features a playable character named Jordan A. Mun, and stars voice talent like Tati Gabrielle and Kumail Nanjiani. So it wouldn’t be wild for Naughty Dog to keep that creative momentum going with another original game, especially since Sony seems to be shifting focus away from live-service titles and back toward single-player experiences. A second brand-new IP? It’s not off the table—and might be the studio’s way of diversifying beyond its signature franchises.

But Let’s Be Real… This Game Might Never See the Light of Day

If you’ve followed Naughty Dog over the years, you know the studio is notorious for scrapping big ideas that don’t make the cut. Just ask The Last of Us Online. Druckmann even hinted that projects can fall apart if they don’t live up to internal standards.

“I enjoy all those roles… it makes my job very exciting and always feeling fresh. I’m never bored.”

Which is great for Druckmann’s work-life balance, but slightly terrifying for fans. There’s always a chance this secret game gets quietly shelved or reworked beyond recognition before it’s ever revealed.

Until Sony or Naughty Dog officially pulls back the curtain, this second project will continue to fuel message boards, Reddit threads, and 10-minute YouTube theory videos. But one thing’s clear: Naughty Dog’s still got multiple irons in the fire, even after a rocky few years of cancellations and studio restructuring. So keep your DualSense charged. Naughty Dog might just surprise us again—and this time, it’s not going to involve spores.