Sony has put up a lot of great gaming franchises over the years, but one, in particular, has stood out massively. You’ve probably already guessed it. I’m referring to Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us series.
The Last of Us Part 2 undeniably shook up everyone. The story wasn’t exactly what you would’ve had in mind. The critical reception was huge. Some review-bombed it across the internet, while others commended the controversially emotional plot.
It left a different effect on everyone. Though one thing’s for sure, no one would argue about having a sequel. So that leads us here. What are the chances of The Last of Us Part 3 happening?
I’ll be discussing all that, along with every leak and rumor. So bear with me as I state every update and official statement so far.
Will there be a The Last of Us Part 3?
Yes, The Last of Us Part 3 will be happening. It’s been seemingly confirmed that the script has undergone completion to some extent. The game is reportedly in the early pre-production stages.
Part 2 has left a lot of critical questions lurking everywhere. Fans have been demanding a continuation so that they may finally know where Ellie’s journey ends.
Getting a Part 3 of the series is an inevitable reality. The Last of Us is Sony’s biggest franchise, along with God of War. Its fan base is just massive, and sales are off the charts.
Naughty Dog’s Rochelle Snyder announced that Part 2 alone had sold over 10 million copies globally. Making it one of the best-selling games of the PS4 generation. That makes a case for a continuation game a done deal. If not for the fans, then for the money, at least!
Reliable Leaker Claims Production on The Sequel is Already Underway
ViewerAnon, who’s a renowned leaker in the films and TV community, dropped some news about gaming this time. Usually I’m not so quick to believe people, but ViewerAnon’s track record checks out.
Though the tweet states “Dr. Druckmann’s” next game is The Last of Us Part 3, that claim may not apply to Naughty Dog in general. We already know that a standalone multiplayer game inspired by The Last of Us Part 2 is in development, and that’s the studio’s upcoming release.
Rumors of a new IP being in the works are also spreading like wildfire. According to this leak, take that with a bit of salt, Neil’s focused on The Last of Us Part 3. But as there’s already a strong chance that a new IP by the Studio will come out before that, it seems as if Neil probably won’t serve as the director of the new franchise.
Likewise, if The Last of Us Part 3 is in fact under development, and Neil Druckmann is directing it, don’t get excited just yet. Naughty Dog’s already burning the midnight oil working on a number of new projects, so you’ll have to hold off on any thoughts about taking control of Ellie for a couple of years at the minimum.
New Uncharted Game Rumored To Be In Development As Well
Moreover, gossip about the continuation of the Uncharted series was also a hot topic on the internet. But with Naughty Dog working on Factions and the other titles discussed above, everyone presumed there’s no chance Uncharted would be making waves in the PlayStation 5 era. That however, has now changed in the blink of an eye as a lot of new information has been disclosed.
“UNCHARTED will be handled by another studio, FACTIONS is coming first, not sure on the new IP”
ViewerAnonThis is far from confirmation about a possible Uncharted 5, but all things keep pointing at another entry into the fan-favorite series. ViewerAnon says the game will be outsourced by Naughty Dog. There was news that Bend Studio (Days Gone) might be in charge of the IP, although later, new information dropped that the studio walked out. So who knows which studio landed the gig.
Nevertheless, rumors about The Last of Us Part 3 never stay stale for a moment. So a time when the game is formally announced may not be that far away— fingers crossed.
What Will The Last of Us Part 3 be About?
There hasn’t been any official statement regarding the plot of the game yet. She’ll likely be seen striving for a cure, trying to put a stop to the endless nightmare of zombies.
That won’t be all, though. Most of us know she’ll be coping with Joel’s death, as well as her letting go of the hatred she had for Abby. That’s one question nobody has had a straight answer to yet.
There’s also another possibility, we might get something totally new instead. The sequel might feature a completely new protagonist and their fight for survival.
For simplicity’s sake, I’ll keep this article towards Ellie’s journey.
How will Ellie’s journey continue?
Naughty Dog isn’t shy at all when it comes to breaking hearts. What they did with Joel was terrible, but in a way, you could understand that it was needed to add emotional baggage to the plot. What really took the breath out of gamers was why Ellie let Abby live.
So evidently, we’ll be witnessing the after-effects of Ellie letting Abby live. To go through hell and back, killing everyone in your path to avenge your father figure. Then just letting the culprit go after having a change of heart is the most absurd thing about the game.
Hopefully, that’ll be cleared up in the sequel. We know that Ellie’s blood contains immunity against the zombie virus as she was exposed to it as a fetus. We also know that she might die if a vaccine was mass-produced for her.
And now, speaking of Naughty Dog not being shy, they might just end up killing her in The Last of Us Part 3 to make a cure. If you logically think about it, this presents itself as possible. The backlash would be uncontainable, but the game will sell well either way.
With the sequel, I, for one, personally, along with many others who’ve played the series, would want Ellie’s saga to come to a close of sorts. Not like the way it did with Joel! But a wholesome ending, though I know, that’s just wishful thinking.
I’d suggest you prepare yourself for the worst because it’s unlikely a miracle cure will pop out of thin air.
Will Abby return in The Last of Us Part 3?
In the final sequence of Part 2, Ellie lets a weakened and devastated Abby flee with Lev. That’s possibly due to Ellie realizing no amount of killing would bring Joel back.
So that leaves the question of Abby’s current whereabouts. It’s speculated that she and Lev went on looking for more fireflies. This theory is backed up by the change you see on the title screen after finishing the game.
The boat that Abby and Lev took is seen being spaced near Catalina Island. That’s supposedly the new base of operations for the Fireflies. If that does happen to be the case, I’m pretty sure Abby will be returning for The Last of Us Part 3.
Interestingly, it’s possible that if Ellie and Abby cross paths again, you might see them working together. To some that might sound absurd, but so did Joel’s death.
Abby singlehandedly sent the fandom into rage mode. Most gamers were just relieved that they got a sequel. Others stated the world would’ve been a better place without a sequel, especially if Abby was in it.
After waiting 7 years for Joel to return, just to see him die at Abby’s hands two hours later was infuriating. But Abby’s an integral part of The Last of Us universe now, so it’s confirmed that you’ll be seeing her again.
Could Last Of Us Part 3 Be A Prequel?
Unfortunately, Joel did not get much playtime when The Last of Us Part 2 first rolled out, leaving players disappointed with Naughty Dog’s decision to remove the character from the game and highlight Abby’s place in the second part instead.
It could be possible that Naughty Dog approaches The Last Of Us Part 3 as a prequel-type game, giving the players a glimpse of what Joel was like in the past, how he spent it with Tommy during the infection’s early days, and what atrocities the pair had to commit to survive.
We do not know anything for sure, though, and Naughty Dog could approach this game in whatever way they want, but perhaps a mix of some gameplay revolving around Ellie’s conundrum and some insight into Joel’s past could be exactly what the players need when it comes to The Last Of Us Part 3
Youtuber DomTheBomb had some interesting thoughts about this, and his justification for his thought process seems entirely reasonable.
Is Naughty Dog Releasing Last Of Us Part 3?
Naughty Dog has already released a remake of The Last of Us Part 1, and a new standalone multiplayer game set in the same universe will launch sometime in 2023 (presumably). That’s not all. There has been further hearsay that they’re working on a new fantasy IP too.
You can take a look at the following Tweet by the official studio Twitter account,
Remake Has Launched
The Part 1 remake already made its way to the PlayStation 5 on September 2, 2022. The online multiplayer game is what should follow next.
It should supposedly arrive in 2023, but the studio is known for delaying its titles. So don’t take that as a definitive date. It might even be pushed back to 2024.
New Fantasy IP to release before The Last of Us Part 3?
Twitter account Oops Leaks had much to report about Naughty Dog’s upcoming works. The account posted the following,
The leak doesn’t seem to be supported by solid evidence. But the leaker also previously stated that an online game is under development. That turned out to be fully true, so there’s a chance he’s right again.
Naughty Dog has only been focused on Uncharted and TLOU in the past decade. Great franchises, but fans wouldn’t mind seeing something new.
A fantasy IP would be a welcomed addition to the PS5 line-up. Hopefully, it doesn’t turn out like the empty promises made by CDPR with Cyberpunk 2077.
The Last of Us Part 3 Release Date
Currently, Naughty Dog’s hard at work on The Last of Us Part II Factions, and a rumored new IP. The script for The Last of Us Part 3 is already being worked on, according to director Neil Druckmann, and that leads me to believe that the game will possibly release in 2027.
It’s guaranteed that a sequel will happen. Sony wouldn’t just let its biggest IP die, you know. Development on The Last of Us Part 2 took almost 6 years, we expect this to be the same case regarding a sequel.
It’ll be a long ride till we get a glimpse of the sequel, so it’s better to sit back and relax.
What Else Is In Store For The Last Of Us Series?
“Chernobyl” creator Craig Mazin could be keeping The Last Of Us director, Neil Druckmann, busy with their HBO project: The Last Of Us TV series, featuring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie.
Furthermore, a multiplayer game based around the Last Of Us franchise is also in the works, and is set to release on January 2023
Conclusion
The Last of Us Part 3 is undeniably the most anticipated game by far for PlayStation fans. As such massive Triple-A games take their fair share of time, we don’t expect Part 3 to release any sooner than 2027.
That’ll be near the end of the PS5 life span, and what better way would there be to wrap everything up. Till then, gamers can look forward to a lot more from Naughty Dog in the near future.
I’ll keep this article updated in case any enticing happenings take place. Looking for more The Last of Us content? Then take a look.
Pls put the last us part 3 on the ps 4 and ps5 pls