Troy Baker will officially star in the next Naughty Dog game, currently in development with The Last of Us co-creator, Neil Druckmann. The news was revealed as an aside in a GQ profile charting Baker’s career and ambitions.
“In a heartbeat I would always work with Troy,” Druckmann reportedly told the website.
This appears to be the first major news we’ve seen from Naughty Dog’s next project, which remains largely a mystery. Based on very early details, we know Druckmann is helming this work, and that it will very likely be a single player adventure, but no further details have been shared. Druckmann previously hinted the game had been in development since 2020, suggesting a trailer or reveal could be imminent, but a lot’s changed in the games industry since then.
As for Baker’s involvement, it doesn’t feel like a major surprise – Druckmann has worked extensively with the actor over the years, in Naughty Dog’s two biggest franchises, Uncharted and The Last of Us. It makes sense that whatever’s next would similarly involve him – although what his role will be, and whether he’ll be a main character, has not been confirmed.
Read: The Last of Us review – A strong, worthwhile adaptation
What’s next for Naughty Dog?
Naughty Dog itself has had a strange few years, with all of its output being remasters and ports of The Last of Us and Uncharted over the last few years. Since the release of The Last of Us Part 2 in 2020, the studio has stayed relatively quiet about what’s next – although it did briefly hype up a Last of Us multiplayer spin-off game that was ultimately cancelled.
Per Druckmann, speaking to Los Angeles Times in mid-2024, the studio has multiple single-player games currently in development, although there are few details about these projects, beyond the reveal that Troy Baker will take part in one.
There has been some speculation the next game from Naughty Dog will be high fantasy-oriented, based on new posters spotted in The Last of Us Part 1 (a remake of the original game), and some pieces of art from one of Naughty Dog’s concept artists – but for a firmer answer about what’s next, it’s best to stay patient.
