Naughty Dog’s Next Game May Feature AI-Powered NPC Dialogue

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

Naughty Dog appears to be integrating AI-driven systems for NPC dialogue in its upcoming project Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, based on a recent job listing from Sony.

The listing seeks a Senior Dialogue Designer to work on “NPC AI-driven dialogue systems,” as well as cinematic and gameplay dialogue. While it doesn’t explicitly name Intergalactic, all signs point in that direction—especially considering the studio’s current development focus.

Revealed in 2024, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is positioned as Naughty Dog’s most ambitious title yet, moving away from its traditional grounded storytelling into a more expansive sci-fi narrative.

Creative Director Neil Druckmann has already stepped away from his role on The Last of Us HBO series to fully focus on new titles at Naughty Dog, including Intergalactic. That move alone underlines the significance of this new IP for the studio.

If this AI integration plays out as expected, it could mark a shift in how Naughty Dog handles game storytelling. Until now, the studio has relied heavily on carefully crafted, hand-written dialogue.

Druckmann has also been open about AI’s potential in game development. In a previous interview, he shared that AI tools could “revolutionize how content is created,” helping developers overcome production constraints and deliver more complex narratives. However, he acknowledged that ethical concerns around AI still need to be addressed thoughtfully.

For now, it’s unclear to what extent AI will be used in Intergalactic. But based on this hiring move and Druckmann’s comments, the technology seems set to play a key role in the game’s development.