Naughty Dog Cancels Unannounced Game While Another Project Moves Forward

Naughty Dog, the Santa Monica-based game developer, has quietly canceled an unannounced single-player game earlier this year. The project had been in development for over a year following the cancellation of The Last of Us Online.

Insider Daniel Ritchman revealed that the now-canceled game was still in its early stages when the studio decided to end its development (Thanks wccftech).

The project was led by Vinit Agarwal, who previously worked as Game Designer on popular titles like Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, and The Last of Us Part II. After the cancellation, Agarwal left the company.

The Last of Us Online was originally an ambitious multiplayer project that was also canceled. Reports indicate this happened because Naughty Dog didn't want to transform into a live-service games studio after Bungie explained what that transition would require. Former PlayStation head Yoshida previously stated that he personally found the game "great" during playtesting, still Naughty Dog abandoned the project.

The Next Single-Player Game (Still in Development)

Despite this setback, the studio is working on another unannounced single-player game. According to Ritchman's information, this project has been in development for about three years, making it more advanced than the canceled title.

The game is being directed by Shaun Escayg, who returned to Naughty Dog in April 2021 after briefly working at Crystal Dynamics as Director of Marvel's Avengers.

Escayg brings significant experience to the role, having previously served as Lead Cinematic Animator on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. He also directed Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, one of the studio's well-received spin-off titles.

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet (Main Focus)

Currently, the main focus at Naughty Dog continues to be Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a new sci-fi intellectual property announced at The Game Awards 2024.

This action/adventure game is being directed by Neil Druckmann, the company's president and creator of The Last of Us franchise, who also serves as executive producer on the HBO show adaptation.

Druckmann has previously shared that Intergalactic will offer a different experience from typical Naughty Dog titles. Players will experience feelings of loneliness, unlike most of the studio's previous games where protagonists are usually accompanied by companions. The game will also explore religion as a central theme.