Rumor: Next Naughty Dog Game May Have a Larger Focus on Player Freedom

Rumor: Next Naughty Dog Game May Have a Larger Focus on Player Freedom

Key Takeaways

  • A new rumor claims that Naughty Dog‘s next game will have a heavier emphasis on player freedom than the studio’s prior titles.
  • Naughty Dog boss Neil Druckmann previously mentioned an interest in Elden Ring’s famed environmental storytelling format.
  • Elden Ring famously offers a ton of choice to players as well, lending credence to the rumor surrounding Naughty Dog’s next game.

As a long-time fan of Naughty Dog and someone who has spent countless hours exploring the rich worlds they’ve created, I can’t help but be intrigued by the latest rumors about their next game. The idea of more player freedom is tantalizing, especially given the studio’s penchant for crafting immersive narratives.


According to a trusted source, it appears that Naughty Dog is focusing on offering more player autonomy for their upcoming game. Renowned for its achievements, the studio is at present developing a new single-player intellectual property. This new project could potentially break away from the usual style of games produced by Naughty Dog.

Since its founding in 1984, Naughty Dog has been responsible for creating some of the most renowned game franchises within the industry, particularly under the PlayStation brand. However, the esteemed studio has encountered a few bumps in the road recently. A significant number of fans of Naughty Dog have voiced their disappointment as the studio’s output since the launch of the PS5 in late 2020 has primarily consisted of remakes and upgraded versions of existing games. The cancellation of the Last of Us Online project last year added to the confusion regarding Naughty Dog’s release plans.

For quite some time now, it has been common knowledge that Naughty Dog is working on a completely new video game concept. However, details about this highly anticipated project have been scarce. Recently, during an episode of The MinnMax Show podcast, host Ben Hanson may have shared valuable insights regarding the upcoming IP from Naughty Dog. According to Hanson, he received information from someone who is well-informed in the industry that Naughty Dog’s next game will be exceptional and will offer a significant amount of player autonomy. While Hanson’s source did compare it to a specific game, Hanson chose not to disclose this detail during the podcast to protect his source.

Naughty Dog’s Next Game Might Draw Inspiration from Elden Ring

Intriguingly, Neil Druckmann, head of Naughty Dog, expressed his fascination in a 2023 interview with the narrative structure of Elden Ring, which emphasizes environmental context over cinematics and dialog. Elden Ring is notably known for its abundance of choices and freedom it offers to players, setting a high standard in this regard. If Naughty Dog’s future project follows design principles similar to Elden Ring, gamers should anticipate an adventure that presents a more open-ended and less restrictive experience compared to games like Uncharted and The Last of Us.

Despite the rumor being somewhat unclear, fans should treat it with caution. The extent of player freedom in the upcoming Naughty Dog game isn’t clarified by these comments, so it wouldn’t be wise to assume that the game will match the expansiveness and openness of Elden Ring in terms of its world exploration. However, there’s a lot of anticipation about what new experiences Naughty Dog’s new intellectual property will offer, and it seems they might be exploring some uncharted territories for this project.

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2024-10-22 18:43