Earlier this month, Sony shared an interview it performed with Last of Us co-creator and Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann. In it, Druckmann was quoted as saying Naughty Dog’s next game “could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming.” After the interview, Druckmann took to social media to clarify what he said and pointed out that he was misquoted.
In editing my rambling answers in my recent interview with SONY, some of my words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost. Well, here’s the full long rambling answer for the final question about our future game… pic.twitter.com/tVuxX3LYJF
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) May 25, 2024
In his actual response, Druckmann said little about Naughty Dog’s next game beyond, “It’s maybe the most excited I’ve been for a project yet.” He never made the statement that it could redefine the mainsteam perceptions of gaming. Instead, he spoke about the broad perception of gaming and how it seems to be changing thanks in part to the success of TV and movie adaptions like Fallout on Amazon, which he complimented. He also wrote that one of the reasons he worked hard on HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation was he hoped non-gamers would find the show and lead them to hopefully explore the medium of video games if they hadn’t before.
In response to Druckmann’s post sharing his original statement, the page hosting the interview has been changed. The interview is no longer online and now features a statement reading, “In re-reviewing our recent interview with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, we have found several significant errors and inaccuracies that don’t represent his perspective and values (including topics such as animation, writing, technology, AI, and future projects). We apologize to Neil for misrepresenting his words and for any negative impact this interview might have caused him and his team. In coordination with Naughty Dog and SIE, we have removed the interview.”
Original story published May 23, 2024:
In an interview with his parent company on Sony.com, Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann talks about AI and briefly teases Naughty Dog’s next game. Druckmann is expectedly vague about Naughty Dog’s next big project but offers an enticing tease, saying, “I’m eager to see how this new game resonates, especially following the success of The Last of Us, as it could redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming.”
The interview, however, primarily focuses on technology and how it improves and makes it easier for creators to tell unique stories. Regarding AI, Druckmann says, “AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address. With technologies like AI and the ability to do motion capture right from home, we’re reducing both costs and technical hurdles, opening the door for us to take on more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling in games.”
He also briefly touches on the future of The Last of Us TV show, citing that modern technology has allowed him to oversee the TV show’s second season remotely from Los Angeles while it shoots in Canada.
You can read the full interview here. You can also read more about what is happening with the TV show’s second season, including casting details, here.