Rumors suggest that Sony’s renowned studio not only shut down The Last of Us Online but also quietly scrapped another unannounced title…

According to insider Daniel Ritchman, Naughty Dog canceled an unannounced single-player game earlier this year, around early 2025, after over a year of development. Let’s not forget that The Last of Us Online was abandoned because the studio didn’t want to become a live service factory—especially after Bungie explained what that commitment would entail (they wouldn’t be able to juggle both live service and story-driven titles). Vinit Agarwal was leading the online game in its final stages. He had previously contributed to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and The Last of Us Part II. He then shifted to the unannounced project, which was still in its early stages when it got canned. Agarwal has since left the company.

Ritchman adds that another single-player title is also in the works at Naughty Dog. This one is further along in development, having reportedly started back in 2022. It is led by Shaun Escayg, who rejoined the studio in April 2021 after a short stint at Crystal Dynamics (he directed Marvel’s Avengers). Escayg previously served as lead cinematic animator on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and later worked on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.

One Confirmed Project: Intergalactic

What we do know for sure is that the sci-fi IP Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, revealed at The Game Awards 2023, is currently in development. The action-adventure title is directed by Neil Druckmann, Naughty Dog’s president and the creator of The Last of Us—as well as the executive producer of the HBO adaptation. Druckmann recently stated that this game will offer players a sense of isolation, contrasting with the studio’s typical formula of companion-driven narratives. Religion, he added, will be a central theme in the story.

Source: WCCFTech