A new Uncharted game is reportedly in development at Naughty Dog, according to industry insiders, making it one of four projects the studio is said to be juggling at once. The claim comes from the outlet mp1st, which cites sources familiar with the situation pointing to Shaun Escayg, director of 2017’s Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, as the person steering the unannounced title.
Key takeaways
- ✓Insiders claim Naughty Dog has four projects in development simultaneously
- ✓A new Uncharted game is reportedly directed by Shaun Escayg of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
- ✓Naughty Dog officially confirmed two new Last of Us projects during this year's Last of Us Day
- ✓Nathan Drake may still feature in the new Uncharted title, even briefly
- ✓The Uncharted project is rumoured to launch after Intergalactic but before The Last of Us Part III
The report arrives shortly after Naughty Dog itself confirmed new activity around its other major franchise. Studio head Neil Druckmann used this year’s Last of Us Day to reveal that two fresh projects are underway, both expanding the series beyond Part I and Part II. He described them as being in “very early stages” in Neil Druckmann’s letter marking The Last of Us Day, though he stopped short of detailing what form they will take.
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What’s reportedly on Naughty Dog’s plate
Combined with the two Last of Us projects and the studio’s confirmed sci-fi game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the alleged new Uncharted title would bring Naughty Dog’s workload to four simultaneous productions. That is an unusually heavy slate for a studio that has historically focused on one or two games at a time, and it reflects how much Sony’s first-party output has expanded in recent years.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is Naughty Dog’s first original IP since The Last of Us launched in 2013, and it remains the studio’s most advanced project publicly. The two Last of Us expansions mentioned by Druckmann are still unannounced in any concrete sense, with no titles, release windows, or gameplay details shared. An all-new Uncharted game, if the mp1st report holds up, would sit alongside these as a fourth active production.
This kind of parallel development is common across large PlayStation studios now. Sony has spread responsibility for post-launch tools and visual features across its internal teams, and even support roles have grown more specialised. Insomniac’s own PlayStation Studios project faced its own scrutiny this year over how its development process was characterised, a reminder that scaling up internal teams brings its own pressures and public attention.
Who might be behind the camera
Shaun Escayg’s name carries weight with Uncharted fans. He served as creative director on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, a stand-alone spin-off starring Chloe Frazer that many players consider one of the more underrated entries in the franchise. Placing him in charge of a new Uncharted game suggests Naughty Dog may again be willing to shift focus away from Nathan Drake as the sole lead character.
That said, the report claims Drake will still appear in some capacity, even if only as a minor cameo rather than the central protagonist. This would fit a pattern Naughty Dog has used before, letting a familiar face anchor a story built around someone else. Earlier in the year, Escayg shared an image from Fort George in Trinidad and Tobago, captioned simply “Research,” which fuelled speculation that preparation for a new Uncharted entry was already underway.
Release order and what remains unconfirmed
According to mp1st’s sources, the new Uncharted project is expected to release after Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet but ahead of The Last of Us Part III, positioning it as the next major Naughty Dog release once the studio’s current sci-fi title ships. No release window, platform list, or official title has been confirmed by Naughty Dog or Sony, and none of this should be treated as settled fact.
It is worth separating what has actually been confirmed from what remains speculation. Naughty Dog has officially acknowledged two new Last of Us projects and continues development on Intergalactic. The Uncharted game exists only through insider reporting at this stage, and Sony has not commented publicly on the claim. Readers should treat the Uncharted details as an industry rumour until the studio says otherwise.
Why this matters for PlayStation fans
Uncharted has been dormant as a mainline series since Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End launched back in 2016, with only The Lost Legacy following as a spin-off and a 2022 film adaptation keeping the brand visible. Nearly a decade without a new entry has left a gap in Sony’s action-adventure lineup, one that a revived franchise could fill at a time when PlayStation’s first-party slate leans heavily on live-service and remaster projects.
If the report proves accurate, it signals Sony is willing to let one of its most acclaimed studios run multiple major franchises at once rather than wait for each to finish sequentially. For fans, that likely means a longer wait for any single project but a broader pipeline of PlayStation exclusives arriving across the coming years. Further detail from Naughty Dog or Sony, rather than anonymous sources, will be needed before any of this counts as confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Is a new Uncharted game officially confirmed?
No. The claim comes from industry insiders cited by mp1st, not from Naughty Dog or Sony, so it should be treated as an unconfirmed report rather than an announcement.
Who is reportedly directing the new Uncharted game?
Shaun Escayg, who previously served as creative director on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, is said to be leading the project according to the report.
Will Nathan Drake appear in the new game?
According to the same sources, Drake will reportedly still feature in some form, though possibly only as a minor cameo rather than the main character.
What else is Naughty Dog working on right now?
The studio is developing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and has confirmed two early-stage projects expanding The Last of Us canon, alongside the reported Uncharted title.
