Neil Druckmann Says His Next Game Is “Structured More Like A TV Show”

Neil Druckmann — the famed Naughty Dog head and The Last of Us creator — has seemingly revealed what his next game is going to look like. As picturesque as most PlayStation exclusives are, Druckmann’s new project, according to him, is going to be “structured more like a TV show,” and that he’s not alone in directing the game. 

Speaking to The New Yorker in a recently published issue, the popular creator of The Last of Us and The Uncharted series has revealed that he’s gone ahead and assembled a writers’ room for the project, and he’s not alone in writing the script for this latest game. 

The Rundown:

• Neil Druckmann is the co-CEO and one of the presidential heads of popular PlayStation exclusive developer Naughty Dog. The US-based studio and the man involved are best known to have pushed out the likes of The Last of Us and The Uncharted. 
• Sitting down to talk with The New Yorker in an interview, Neil Druckmann has revealed that he’s currently working on something new, and it’s evidently unlike anything else that Naughty Dog has worked on before. 
• This next game of his will feature a base structure that will feel as if the game itself is more like a television show rather than a video game. Of course, this statement is reminiscent of several other PlayStation-exclusive titles, such as God of War that come across as cinematic masterpieces. 
• Druckmann isn’t working on the project single-handedly. Instead, a whole group of writers have been summoned to aid him in manifesting the project. 
• Side by side, the Last of Us HBO adaptation comes out in January, starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsay as Ellie.

Taking to Twitter, the official The Game Awards social media handle also spotted the occurrence and reported it online. 

In a New Yorker profile, Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann says his next game is “structured more like a TV show” than anything else Naughty Dog had made. A writers room has been assembled.

Profile: https://t.co/QYKIXKfvKI pic.twitter.com/KflatgsaiR

— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 26, 2022

While this may seem like another masterpiece coming out of the gates of Naughty Dog’s HQ, several people are of a different opinion, marching forward with the belief that games should be games. At this point, it certainly bears noticing that HBO is already releasing a television show adaptation of The Last of Us.

With that said, trash talk is coming in left and right, with some calling Druckmann a “Holly wannabe” who wants to turn game experiences into interactive movie experiences. In my opinion, there’s too little to go about here. We’ll have to wait and let time do its thing until the studio properly reveals what this new project is going to be about. 

The Last Of Us is one of Sony’s most prized IPs that traces its initial release all the way back to June 14, 2013. The franchise has a total of two iterations so far with the latest one dropping on June 19, 2020, and featuring a different route in terms of the plotline as to what was expected.

Both games remain to be some of PlayStation’s top-rated titles, but the sequel has evidently been subject to a ton of controversy. This was because of the drastic shift in the IP’s plot that had left many devastated.

All things considered, The Last of Us Part II did turn out to be one marvel of a title, given its dynamic combat system and overall game design. 

What do you think about Neil Druckmann developing a game that’ll run close to being a television show? Do let us know in the comments section ahead.