Neil Druckmann on the Creative Uncertainty Behind The Last of Us Sequel

In an interview with Game Informer, focusing on the second season of the series «The Last of Us,» Neil Druckmann, the president of Naughty Dog, discussed the «challenge» his team faced while developing The Last of Us Part II: creating a sequel that wasn’t strictly necessary.

While working on The Last of Us, Druckmann aimed to craft a narrative that could stand on its own, as he was uncertain whether he would have the opportunity to direct a game again.

To «justify» a second installment, Druckmann and his team sought to conceive a concept that not only continued the themes and character arcs of the original but also functioned as an independent work. Moreover, both games were designed to complement each other.

This approach sheds light on why The Last of Us features such a powerful ending. However, it appears that the series will remain a duology for the foreseeable future, at least in this stage of Naughty Dog’s development.

As for the completeness of the story, PC users will finally be able to determine this for themselves starting April 3. On that date, The Last of Us Part II Remastered will launch on Steam and the Epic Games Store, complete with full Russian localization and additional bonuses.