A Game Director Has Teased Naughty Dog's Next Uncharted Game

Naughty Dog may have just offered fans a glimpse of its next Uncharted game, thanks to a recent social media post by one of the studio's game directors that has everyone talking. The developer is currently working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but another ambitious single-player game is apparently in the works, and it may have something to do with the Uncharted series.

Neil Druckmann has already confirmed this second project isn't The Last of Us Part III. With Druckmann directing Intergalactic, the possibility of another major Naughty Dog franchise returning has become even more interesting. According to reports, game director Shaun Escayg is leading a separate team working on this mysterious AAA project, with Druckmann taking on more of a producer and mentorship role.

The latest speculation comes from a Metro report citing an Instagram post Escayg shared. The image shows a historic cannon overlooking a city, and fans believe it may have been taken at Fort George in Trinidad and Tobago. What makes the post particularly interesting is its caption: "research."

Of course, this doesn't confirm that Naughty Dog is working on another Uncharted game.

However, the image and its location have led fans to wonder whether Escayg is researching locations and historical details for the studio's next adventure. The Uncharted series has always followed Nathan Drake around the world, with stories built around historical landmarks, ancient artifacts, and lost locales. You could definitely see a photo like this in the kind of setting you'd expect from a new franchise entry.

Metro also says that Sony is making a follow-up to the 2022 Uncharted movie. There is no firm release window for the movie, but the original film's success might give Sony another reason to revisit the franchise. However, the potential sequel and Naughty Dog's reported game project are separate developments, and neither has been confirmed as directly connected to Escayg's photograph.

The new Uncharted game has been rumored for a while now. Last year, a report suggested that Naughty Dog had been working on a second game alongside Intergalactic, and that it wasn't The Last of Us Part III. Escayg reportedly directed the project, which had been in development for three years.

Druckmann also previously discussed taking on a producer role for another game at the studio, which could be the same project mentioned in those reports. If the details are accurate, Naughty Dog has quietly worked on this mysterious title for years, even as most of the studio's public attention has focused on Intergalactic.

Escayg is also a familiar name to Uncharted fans.

He directed Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, the franchise's latest original entry after Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. He then moved on to Crystal Dynamics, where he directed Marvel's Avengers, before returning to Naughty Dog in 2021 to helm a new project.

His experience with the Uncharted series makes him a natural candidate to lead another adventure in the franchise, although his involvement alone doesn't establish what the new game will be. Naughty Dog could return to one of its older properties, or it could develop something entirely different.

For now, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet appears to be the studio's next major release, with a launch potentially arriving in late 2027 or 2028. If Naughty Dog follows up with the reported second project, a new Uncharted game could be next. The studio could then revisit The Last of Us for a third installment later in the PlayStation 6 generation, though that remains speculative.

Naughty Dog isn't the only PlayStation studio linked to speculation about Uncharted's future, either.

Sony Bend Studio is also reportedly working on a new high-profile AAA game, and speculation suggests the franchise could be involved. However, no confirmed connection exists between Bend's game and Escayg's project, so they could easily be two entirely different titles.

With several projects reportedly in development across PlayStation Studios, we still don't know much about Sony's plans. Escayg's photograph may be unrelated to Uncharted. Still, his background, the mysterious research caption, and previous reports about Naughty Dog's second game have given fans plenty of reasons to pay attention.

Until Naughty Dog officially reveals what Escayg is working on, the studio's secret project remains unknown. A new Uncharted adventure is definitely on the table, but we can't rule out the return of another established franchise like Jak and Daxter, or an entirely original game. For now, fans will have to wait for the studio to reveal more concrete details about its plans.