Naughty Dog has only revealed a little bit about its next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but there is already plenty to be intrigued about. Between the major genre shift to sci-fi, a promising cast, and being a completely fresh IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is a game that a lot of people are on the lookout for. It might be a little while before Naughty Dog reveals anything else about the ambitious sci-fi project, but Neil Druckmann has teased a big gameplay change that is just as risky as it is compelling.
He’s kept tight-lipped about the game’s finer details, but one thing that Druckmann has made clear over the years is that he has found a lot of inspiration in Elden Ring. Neil Druckmann’s comments about Elden Ring have ignited a lot of theories about Intergalactic‘s gameplay, especially when it comes to world design and approach to storytelling. If Intergalactic happens to take note of Elden Ring, then it could potentially be a huge shift that goes far beyond Naughty Dog’s sci-fi project.
Naughty Dog’s Rumored Elden Ring Inspiration for Intergalactic Could Influence the Developer’s Entire Future
Pretty much all that is known about Intergalactic at the moment is that it stars a lone bounty hunter named Jordan A. Mun who is stranded on a mysterious planet called Sempiria. The planet has been cut off from outside contact for around 600 years, which only adds to the mystery. Naughty Dog games are well-known for telling bold and inventive new stories, and so far it looks like Intergalactic aims to continue carrying the torch. However, the way Naughty Dog tells that story might be a lot different this time around.
He’s kept tight-lipped about the game’s finer details, but one thing that Druckmann has made clear over the years is that he has found a lot of inspiration in Elden Ring.
The rumors that Intergalactic is inspired by Elden Ring all go back to one specific Neil Druckmann interview with The Washington Post in 2023 where he talks about the games that he finds the most intriguing. His words make it clear that Naughty Dog’s cinematic cutscene formula seen in The Last of Us and Uncharted might not be as important moving forward.
I’m more recently intrigued by stuff like Elden Ring and Inside that doesn’t rely as much on traditional narrative to tell its story.
Games like Elden Ring and Inside approach storytelling in a much different way than the likes of The Last of Us and Uncharted, and it raises questions about how much of Druckmann’s interest has influenced Intergalactic‘s storytelling. It was recently revealed that Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic cinematic shoot has officially wrapped, which indicates that there will be at least a little bit of the same move-like storytelling that the developer has become known for.
However, Druckmann could still be moving fairly far away from The Last of Us and Uncharted‘s style of in-game storytelling. He’s clearly interested in non-traditional narratives, which could hint that Intergalactic leans on its environment to do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to deeper lore. Such a drastic shake-up could ultimately make Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet‘s gameplay a breath of fresh air for long-time Naughty Dog fans, but it also risks bleeding over into The Last of Us Part 3.
An Elden Ring-Style The Last of Us Part 3 Might Not Feel Like TLOU at All
Now, it’s important to make it clear that there really isn’t anything known about The Last of Us Part 3 yet. Yes, Druckmann confirmed not long ago that there are several new The Last of Us projects in the works, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that Part 3 is on the way. In the announcement, Druckmann makes a point to say “projects” that will continue The Last of Us franchise. That could mean a variety of things, like further TV show spin-offs, a comic book series, or even a smaller-scale spin-off game.
There’s really no way to know for sure, but if The Last of Us Part 3 really does happen, Intergalactic‘s rumored Elden Ring-like environmental storytelling might also be used for the long-awaited third chapter. This would be a huge risk, because The Last of Us is built on cinematics. Sure, there are plenty of notes and items to pick up along the journey that add more depth to The Last of Us story, but going too far into Elden Ring-style open-world territory might cause Part 3 to feel wildly out of place.
This is purely speculation on my part, and only time will tell what future Naughty Dog games have in store. As a die-hard Naughty Dog fan, I want as many games from the developer as possible, but there also needs to be a balance between innovation and keeping a franchise’s identity intact. If Intergalactic takes a more open-world approach, then it would be best to keep that kind of storytelling formula within the confines of that IP instead of expanding it to established series like The Last of Us and Uncharted.
