Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann has officially announced he will not be creatively involved in the upcoming Season 3 of HBO's The Last of Us, choosing instead to fully dedicate his time to the studio’s next major game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
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— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) July 2, 2025
In a message shared across Naughty Dog’s social platforms, Druckmann explained his decision:
"I've made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO. With work completed on Season 2 and before any meaningful work begins on Season 3, now is the right time for me to shift my full focus back to Naughty Dog and our future projects—specifically writing and directing our next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, alongside my ongoing roles as Studio Head and Head of Creative.
"Co-creating the series has been one of the highlights of my career. It's been an honor collaborating with Craig Mazin as we executive produced, wrote, and directed the first two seasons. I’m incredibly grateful to the entire cast and crew for their thoughtful, passionate work in bringing The Last of Us Part I and Part II to life on screen."
According to The Ankler, Craig Mazin will now lead the writing efforts for Season 3, stepping into a solo showrunner role after co-leading the first two seasons with Druckmann.
Druckmann’s return to game development follows the official reveal of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet at The Game Awards in December 2024. While this title is his primary creative focus, he confirmed that Naughty Dog is also developing a second, unannounced project, on which he serves in a more hands-off, producer-like capacity—offering mentorship, feedback, and high-level creative oversight.
HBO’s The Last of Us has been a massive success, amassing a global audience of over 90 million viewers since the conclusion of Season 1. While Season 2 saw strong overall engagement, HBO noted a dip in immediate viewership for the finale due to its release during Memorial Day weekend.
Though Season 3 is officially in development, the story may extend even further. Mazin has previously suggested a fourth season is necessary to fully conclude the narrative, and the show’s composer recently stated there will be “at least two more seasons, no question.” Whether Druckmann would return creatively for a potential Season 4 remains uncertain.
Critically, The Last of Us Season 1 earned a 9/10 from IGN, praised as “a stunning adaptation that should thrill newcomers and enrich those already familiar with Joel and Ellie's journey alike.” Season 2 received a 7/10, described as “still good, but a sequel that struggles because it's only half of the story.”
