Will The Last Of Us Part 3 Game Ever Happen And What Could It Mean For The HBO Show?

Many people have been talking about The Last of Us lately, mostly because of the really popular HBO show with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. This naturally makes us all wonder about a possible third video game in the series. Naughty Dog has not officially announced anything new for the games. Still, the developers have dropped some hints and comments over the years about going back to this post-apocalyptic world. It is important to remember that a third game is not confirmed, and it might never happen. But there is a chance, and with that in mind, I have gathered everything we know about a new Last of Us game.

The most recent comments about The Last of Us Part 3 came from Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann. He wrote and directed the first two games. During an interview for The Last of Us Season 2, someone asked Druckmann about a third game. He said he was not saying no to it. He was not confirming it either. This kind of answer, while typical, always keeps fans guessing and hoping.

Druckmann explained that Naughty Dog is working on something else right now, a game called Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. They have been working on that for years, and it is taking up all their time. He said he treats these projects like they are the last things he will ever work on. So, his guess is that there will not be any more The Last of Us games. But he added that if everything works out and the stars align, who knows what could happen. This tells me that while it is not a priority right now, the idea is certainly not off the table entirely.

Neil Druckmann's Thoughts On The Next Chapter And Previous Ideas For The Story

Understanding What Has Been Said About A Potential Third Game And Past Projects

Druckmann went on to say that the story in the first The Last of Us was made to have a clear ending. He did not know if he would get to make a follow-up. But the game was a big hit, and Druckmann did come back for The Last of Us Part II. He mentioned that Naughty Dog did not have to make the follow-up. Naughty Dog’s owner, Sony, trusts the company enough to let them make their own choices. This is pretty cool because it means they truly believe in the projects they make.

"But we had an idea for The Last of Us Part II that we felt passionate about," he said. "It was a good enough idea to spend years on it. We worked on the story and felt like, ‘OK, that story has come full circle. The definitive ending for this moment in time.'" This makes me feel good about the stories they tell. They really commit to them. In early 2024, Druckmann said in a documentary about making The Last of Us Part II that he thought there was "probably one more chapter to this story."

"I’ve been thinking, is there a concept there for The Last of Us III? For now 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 that concept that is, to me, as exciting as 1, as exciting as 2," he said. "As its own thing, and yet has this throughline for all three. So it does feel like there’s probably one more chapter to this story." This news is a big deal for fans. It shows that the idea is really taking shape in his mind. The documentary was filmed some time ago. It was made with Naughty Dog. So it only shared information that they wanted to make public. Druckmann saying he had a concept is not the same as a real game being made, but it is a step in that direction.

Druckmann also cleared up some comments from 2021 when he hinted he already had an outline for The Last of Us III. He said that was not true. He was talking about an outline for a story about the character Tommy. "We have written a story that takes place after The Last of Us 2. It stars Tommy. And I hope one day we get to make it," Druckmann said. He added that this was never meant to be a full game, but a smaller, more focused story. Naughty Dog did not make this Tommy game because the studio had "higher priorities" at the time. This included improving their development process and dealing with work-life balance issues that made headlines.

The Connection Between The Games And The HBO Show's Future Seasons

How The TV Adaptation Might Rely On A Third Game For Its Continued Story

The HBO show's second season is the start of adapting The Last of Us Part II. Showrunners and writers Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin have said it will take at least two seasons to tell the whole game’s story. The Last of Us has already been picked up for a third season, so that makes sense. With no The Last of Us Part 3 game confirmed right now, many are wondering what a possible fourth season of the TV show could look like. But Mazin does not want the TV show to go past the events of the games, like Game of Thrones did.

"I am not going to go past the game. I’ll just say that flat out," Mazin told The Hollywood Reporter. "So if people are thinking, ‘Oh, these guys are planning the old cash grab thing…'" He explained he is spending a decade of his life to tell this story. The show is very hard to make. It needs an end. So he will not go past the games. "Who knows me, there might be a Dunk and Egg The Last of Us show that happens that somebody does. But for me, the only question is: Is it going to be one more season or will it require two more?" If it can happen in one more season, that is great. If they feel it needs two, then they will do that.

Druckmann, who is also head of Naughty Dog, would not talk about the chances for a potential Part III. He has not even talked about it with Mazin. "Our focus is the two games," Druckmann said. "As Craig mentioned, there’s quite a bit of material there that we’re taking our time with. We’re looking at each piece individually to make sure it’s got its own arc, its own journey that the characters go on. But there is a grander plan that ties all the seasons together." This means the TV show's future hinges a lot on whether Naughty Dog makes a third game. If they do not, the show would have to create its own stories, which Mazin has said he does not want to do.

When Could A Third Game Potentially Arrive And What Story Could It Tell?

Looking At The Release Timeline And The Possibilities For The Next Story

Since The Last of Us Part 3 has not been announced, there is no word on when it might come out. If Naughty Dog does decide to make a new game in the series, it probably would not be for a while. Naughty Dog’s new game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, is reportedly not coming out until 2027 at the earliest. A third Last of Us game would likely come later than that, if it comes at all. This also brings up the question of whether a possible The Last of Us Part 3 would launch on the rumored PlayStation 6 console, since Naughty Dog has not released any new games for PS5 yet.

The Last of Us Part II ends with Ellie and Abby finally facing off. Ellie has a chance to kill Abby. She decides not to after thinking about what her father figure, Joel, might have wanted. Both Ellie and Abby live, which leaves room to continue their story in a third game. But this is just guessing. There is no information at all right now about what the story for a new The Last of Us game might be. There is also the possibility of a new game focusing on different characters entirely. Naughty Dog created The Last of Us series. They would certainly be the team to make a third game, if it happens.

While everyone would expect Naughty Dog and Druckmann to be in charge of a new game, the studio’s past comments suggest that might not be the only way. When Naughty Dog finished making Uncharted games, they said they would consider letting another studio make Uncharted 5. This could mean a similar thing might happen for The Last of Us if Naughty Dog decides not to make it themselves. The decision to make a third game is a big one. It will depend on many factors. We will have to wait and see what happens.