Druckmann Returns to Naughty Dog, Details New Project Intergalactic
Neil Druckmann, co-president of Naughty Dog, recently sat down with Variety to discuss his shift in focus from the acclaimed HBO series The Last of Us, his return to the core development efforts at Naughty Dog, and the exciting, ambitious plans for the studio's upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Why Druckmann Stepped Back from The Last of Us Series
Druckmann officially stepped down from his role as co-showrunner for the television adaptation of The Last of Us to fully immerse himself back into game development at Naughty Dog. He explained that his primary goal when undertaking the TV project was to make the story accessible to a broader audience beyond just gamers, a mission he believes has been accomplished. He aimed to elevate the prestige of Naughty Dog and PlayStation, seeing the adaptation as a way to raise the profile of video games as a whole.
“I felt like this story would find a broader audience—people who would never play video games,” Druckmann stated. “I wanted to increase the prestige of Naughty Dog, and PlayStation has been home for me for 21 years and has given me all the support to tell these wonderful stories, and I wanted to increase the value of video games in general. It was a crazy goal, but I wanted someone to watch the show and not even guess it was based on a game, and then be surprised: ‘Wait, this is based on a video game?’”
According to studio data, many viewers who watched the show subsequently purchased the game on Sony PlayStation or PC, experiencing The Last of Us for the first time. While no longer co-showrunner, Druckmann hasn't completely severed ties with the TV project. He will remain involved at a high level, overseeing key decisions and ensuring the adaptation stays true to the game's spirit as a curator for the third season. His intensive involvement in the early seasons, including directly directing episode 206, proved challenging to balance with leading a major game studio and developing a new global project.
Intergalactic: Naughty Dog's Most Ambitious Project Yet
Druckmann's full return to the studio is driven by his leadership of one of Naughty Dog's most significant upcoming titles: Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. He revealed that the team is “in the thick of it” and that the game is shaping up to be the most ambitious in the studio's history, potentially boasting the largest budget. Development is progressing rapidly, with prototypes being tested, mechanics being refined, and grand ideas steadily transforming into tangible gameplay.
“Regarding the timing of showing materials, I really want to show them and talk about them, because the trailer we showed doesn’t even remotely convey the full essence of this game,” Druckmann teased.
A Star-Studded Cast and Unique Development Approach
The game already features an impressive voice cast, including the legendary Troy Baker. Tati Gabrielle, who worked with Druckmann on the second season of The Last of Us, is cast as the main protagonist. Druckmann noted that Gabrielle immediately influenced the character's development, with her improvisations and interpretations helping to refine the character's personality and arc. Tony Dalton, known for his role as Lalo Salamanca in the series Better Call Saul, also joined the project after a personal invitation from Druckmann.
“I worked with Tony Dalton on episode 206, where he played Joel’s father, and right after filming, we had this role for Intergalactic,” Druckmann explained. “I messaged him: ‘Hey man, I don’t know if you’ve worked with video games or motion capture before, but I think you’re perfect for this role. Want to jump on a Zoom call? I just want to show you something.’ We had a Zoom call, I showed him parts of the game and discussed everything with him. He said: ‘Yes, I’m in. I’d love to.’ So Tony Dalton joined the project, and there might be a few more actors.”
Druckmann elaborated on how game story creation differs from film or television. While the studio prepares extensive documentation and character biographies, final scenes are intentionally delayed until gameplay mechanics are fully established. “The writing process for games is a bit different from working on a series: we spend a long time planning, creating documents and character biographies, but we try to postpone scriptwriting as long as possible, because the main unknown is the gameplay,” he said. “Gameplay is often very theoretical, then you need to put it into practice, conduct experiments, make prototypes, see what works and what doesn't. And sometimes it's the successful or failed elements that determine what story can be told. So, it's important not to get too attached to details that might later be discarded, and to maintain the overall picture.”
Future Adaptations and Naughty Dog's Vision
When asked about potential film or television adaptations of Intergalactic, Druckmann remained cautious. While there is already interest from studios, Naughty Dog’s priority is to first release an outstanding video game. Only after that will the studio consider screen adaptations, and only with the right partners. He emphasized, “I want to make sure we don't put the cart before the horse.”
Druckmann also noted that the studio has evolved, allowing him to step away from day-to-day operational routines. Many colleagues received promotions during his time on the TV series, enabling him to briefly step back. He stressed that the organization is greater than any single author, and it's the collective effort that supports both interactive and screen projects. Naughty Dog doesn't plan too far ahead, choosing projects that the team genuinely believes in. If Intergalactic resonates with the community and proves successful, it has the potential to become a series. Druckmann promises to continue “wearing many hats” as before, but his main mission for the foreseeable future is to deliver large, high-quality games.
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