With The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered now here and The Last of Us multiplayer game cancelled so Naughty Dog can focus, instead, on the single-player experiences it does best, fans of the series are undoubtedly hoping that a third entry is in the pipeline.

Ad

As The Last of Us Part 1 and Part 2 remasters have been very well received – not to mention HBO's excellent adaptation of the source material – it's hardly a surprise that people are eager to find out how the series will end.

Love gaming? Listen to our podcast, One More Life!

For now, we have The Last of Us Season 2 to look forward to, which has had its cast revealed – and we're sure even more tears will be shed along the way.

Keep reading to find out if there will be a Last of Us Part 3 or not, and to see what the developers have said on the anticipated sequel.

Will there be a Last of Us Part 3?

Unfortunately, it now appears unlikely that there will be a Last of Us Part 3.

While head of Naughty Dog Neil Druckmann had previously hinted that there would be a third instalment to come, he has now explained that prospects for a long-awaited Last of Us Part 3 are not looking promising.

"I was waiting for this question. I guess the only thing I would say is don't bet on there being more Last of Us. This could be it," he replied when asked about Part 3 in an interview with Variety.

This will likely come as a shock to many fans given the tremendous success of the games, and more recently the widespread acclaim garnered by The Last of Us TV show.

Druckmann's previous comments in a YouTube documentary about the creation of The Last of Us Part 2 suggested that The Last of Us Part 3 was being worked on, or at least being thought about.

At the end of the Grounded II: Making The Last of Us Part II documentary, Druckmann explains his thought process behind a third game, detailing the need for a concept.

He explains: "For years, I haven't been able to find that concept. But recently that's changed. I don't have a story, but I do have a concept that, to me, is as exciting as one, as exciting as two, is its own thing, yet has this through-line for all three."

He adds "It does feel like there's probably one more chapter to this story."

Skip to 1:56:35 in the video below (it should auto-play from that point) to hear Druckmann's thoughts in full:

Plans for the game had begun as early as 2021, with Druckmann explaining on the Script Apart podcast (thanks, IGN), that he and co-writer Halley Gross had written an outline for a story.

Druckmann noted at the time that Naughty Dog "is not making" the game yet, but he has hopes that their idea "can see the light of day" eventually. He added that the story outline for Part 3 which was written "explores a little bit what happens after" TLOU 2.

Druckmann is quick to point out, however, that "these [TLOU] games take so much to make" and that "you want to make sure you’re jazzed by the idea that you have, [that] it feels like it’s challenging".

By November 2023, however, it felt as though Naughty Dog itself wasn't in much of a hurry.

Speaking to Nick Romano for Entertainment Weekly, Druckmann said: "The Last of Us is obviously a world I love deeply, and [I] know our studio and fans do as well, but I have no comment at this moment on the series's future beyond our focus on The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered."

He added, "We have other projects in the works at Naughty Dog," likely in reference to the now-revealed Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter ahead of The Last of Us TV show's premiere, Druckmann couldn't reveal if Part 3 is in the works at Naughty Dog, but said: "I think there’s more story to tell."

Given the seven-year gap between Part 1 and Part 2, and the increasingly long production times in gaming as a whole, a prospective Last of Us Part 3 would undoubtedly require a similar development time, if not longer, and perhaps was regarded as a bridge too far for the moment.

He adds that Naughty Dog takes "a long time to explore different ideas, whether it’s going to be Last of Us 3, whether it’s something new, whether there’s some old franchise" it wants to go back to, meaning that while The Last of Us Part 3 may not currently be in the works, it's not out of the question for the studio to return to it in future.

A few years ago, we would have been shocked at the idea of The Last of Us Part 3 never being made, but now only time will tell if it ever sees the light of day.

What are our Last of Us 3 predictions?

Seeing as there may be many years ahead before The Last of Us Part 3 comes to fruition, if it does at all, we'll try our hand at some predictions and speculation to see where the story might go. Before we continue, however, be aware that major spoilers lie ahead.

As Ellie may hold the key to saving humanity with her immunity to the cordyceps fungus, she may choose to sacrifice herself in the hopes that a cure may be found and undo Joel's actions from the first game.

It might not just be altruism that leads her to this decision. Ellie has lost a lot and killed many in her life. We've already seen just how much of a toll this has taken on her. Allowing herself to die may feel like more of a relief and an atonement for the sins committed in her name and by her own hand.

Other characters, such as Lev, may have their stories explored further, or perhaps a new character will take centre stage. A third game may even explore the fight for power in a world filled with new hope in the way of a vaccine, should one be found.

Even if it were, it might not be able to be made in significant quantities, causing outrage. Who would get it first? Would those who have committed terrible crimes, such as bandits, cannibals or members of FEDRA be acquitted or punished? All these factions would no doubt fight back if denied a vaccine.

FEDRA may even position themselves to reinstate the United States government's control, though their numbers are lacking.

Whether a third game comes together at all is another thing, but if it does, there'd be plenty to explore!

Read more on The Last of Us:

Listen to our One More Life podcast and subscribe to our gaming newsletter for all the latest intel.

Ad

Looking for something to watch? Check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Toby Saunders
Toby SaundersFreelance Writer

Toby Saunders is a freelance writer specialising in Video Game journalism. He has a wealth of experience in the field and is published on many different websites including PCGamesN, Nintendo Life and Pocket Tactics. He has a degree in Film Studies (he gets to write about Film and TV occasionally, too).

Alex Raisbeck
Alex RaisbeckGaming writer
Ad
Ad
Ad