Naughty Dog Confirms Two New The Last of Us Projects Are in Early Development

Naughty Dog has confirmed that two new The Last of Us projects are in the very early stages of development, with both intended to expand the series' canon beyond Part I and Part II.

Studio head Neil Druckmann shared the update in a message closing out The Last of Us Day 2026. Naughty Dog is not ready to reveal what either project is, and neither has been identified as The Last of Us Part III.

Druckmann said Naughty Dog has continued discussing possible new stories in the world of The Last of Us since Grounded II. Those conversations have now developed into two projects that the studio believes are worth pursuing.

Both will expand the canon beyond the stories told in The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II, confirming that Naughty Dog is working on new material rather than another version of the same two games.

The studio has not revealed any characters, locations, time periods or story details. With development still described as very early, there is also no indication of when Naughty Dog expects to show either project publicly.

Druckmann said Naughty Dog would not return to the series unless it had something meaningful to say, adding that the studio believes these new stories are worth telling.

The studio has deliberately referred to them as projects rather than announcing two new games. That leaves their exact format open. Naughty Dog has not said whether either project is a video game, and there are no confirmed platforms or release windows attached to either one.

The wording is important because it limits what can be taken from the announcement. Naughty Dog has confirmed that the franchise is continuing and that two new canon stories are being developed, but almost everything about how those stories will be delivered remains unknown.

Neither project has been announced as The Last of Us Part III, and Naughty Dog has not said that a third numbered game is currently in production.

Naughty Dog has also not indicated whether one project is larger or further along than the other.

For now, the confirmed development is narrower but still significant: Naughty Dog has returned to The Last of Us with two new projects that will move the canon beyond the first two games, while details on their format, stories and eventual release remain for a later reveal.