Although many assumed that The Last of Us had ended after its second entry, Naughty Dog President Neil Druckmann has recently stated that The Last of Us 3 is a distinct possibility. The prospect of The Last of Us 3 is sure to excite many fans of the franchise, but the game will undoubtedly be bittersweet no matter what the story winds up looking like.
At the time of writing, The Last of Us 3 is not in active development. Druckmann has also suggested that his idea for a third chapter in the Last of Us story could manifest as a TV show or some other form of media, rather than a game.
Following the release of the wildly successful Last of Us TV show, Naughty Dog's brooding, post-apocalyptic franchise seems to be more popular and relevant than ever. Even though The Last of Us Part 2 was the subject of some contentious online discourse (an understatement if there ever was one), the game seems to have settled into a better overall public reception, now that it has been on the market for nearly four years. But the ending of The Last of Us 2 leaves quite a bit open-ended, and there are many lingering questions that a third game could answer, no doubt in the unforgiving, brutal narrative style that the series has become known for.
The Last of Us 3 Will Be Bittersweet On Multiple Levels
The Last of Us 3 Will Probably Be the End of the Series
There are countless directions that The Last of Us 3's story could take, and the gaming community will no doubt be rife with speculation, rumors, and theories until more concrete information about the game is revealed. But while there is plenty of fertile narrative soil for Part 3, it seems highly unlikely that there will be room for a fourth The Last of Us game. When discussing the possibility of a third game in the Grounded 2 documentary, Druckmann states that he believes there is "one more chapter" to the Last of Us story, suggesting that he and the other creative heads at Naughty Dog are aware that Part 3 would be the end of the road for the franchise.
Of course, there have been many instances of a book, movie, TV, or game series that was pronounced finished and later revived for one reason or another, but there's reason to believe that this wouldn't happen with The Last of Us. Naughty Dog has remained committed to leaving both Uncharted and Jak and Daxter alone, even though bringing back either of these franchises would be an easy lay-up in terms of marketability and commercial success. Put plainly, if Druckmann says that a game will be the last of its series, it's likely to be true.
Ending The Last of Us After Three Games Wouldn't Be a Bad Thing
The Last of Us is an enduring gaming franchise, beloved by millions of players (and now TV fans as well), but it doesn't need to last forever, nor should it. It's common practice in the world of AAA gaming to milk an IP for all it's worth, and while Naughty Dog could certainly turn a tidy profit by releasing a new Last of Us game or spin-off every few years, this would ultimately dilute the story and undermine what makes it emotionally weighty and effective.
There are already some potential narrative issues facing The Last of Us 3, so a more complicated, less conclusive plot is the last thing the series needs—but this would be required to keep the series going beyond its third entry. If all goes well, The Last of Us 3 will leave fans wanting more, but it should also be a conclusive and satisfying finale if that's what Naughty Dog has planned.
The Last of Us Part 2
- Released
- June 19, 2020
WHERE TO PLAY
Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closur
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Naughty Dog
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Engine
- Proprietary
- Franchise
- The Last of Us
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- How Long To Beat
- 24 Hours
- Metascore
- 93
