The Last of Us: Neil Druckmann Officially Confirms 2 Future Games in the Franchise

Naughty Dog has finally shared an update on the future of The Last of Us series, and it’s big. On September 28, 2026, studio head Neil Druckmann confirmed that the developer is working on two new projects set within the TLOU universe.

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Druckmann shared this announcement as part of the studio’s closing message for The Last of Us Day 2026, and confirmed that the franchise will continue past the second game that came out in 2020. However, neither project has been fully revealed, and we will have to wait for more details. Here’s everything we know.

Naughty Dog Is Developing Two New The Last of Us Projects

Druckmann confirmed that Naughty Dog currently has two projects in the very early stages of development (via Naughty Dog). He did not mention either project by name or share platforms, release windows, characters, or any gameplay details, but he revealed one important detail. Both projects will be set in the TLOU universe and build on the stories of Part I and Part II.

Importantly, Druckmann did not confirm that either project is The Last of Us Part III. The wording leaves open several possibilities for how the studio could expand the series, including stories involving existing characters or entirely new characters and locations.

The studio also appears to be approaching these projects carefully. Druckmann said that the series would not return to the world unless it had something meaningful to explore, suggesting that the projects remain far from being ready for a detailed announcement.

For now, fans therefore know that two projects exist, but almost everything about them remains under wraps.

What Could the Two New The Last of Us Projects Be About?

As we mentioned, Druckmann did not share the identities of the two new projects, so the details remain completely unknown for now. However, Neil Druckmann’s confirmation that both will expand the canon beyond Part I and Part II does give us a few possibilities to consider.

What we can assume from this is that neither project will be a remaster or re-release of the existing games. Instead, we can expect to see new stories within the franchise’s universe. The most obvious possibility is a third game, but Druckmann has not confirmed that either project has that title.

A third game in the series could continue the story of Ellie, Abby, or another established character after the events of Part II. Given how much of Part II centered on the consequences of Joel’s death and Ellie’s pursuit of Abby, a new sequel could explore what happens to these characters after the game’s ending.

Another possibility is a completely new story set elsewhere in the world. For the first two games, we followed characters in the United States, leaving plenty of room for stories with new survivors, communities, and locations. A new protagonist could let the studio explore how different groups have adapted to the infected outbreak without directly continuing Ellie’s or Abby’s stories.

What would you like to see from the next entry in the series? Let us know in the comments!