It turns out the controversial quote from Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann about his next game “redefining mainstream perceptions of gaming” was actually taken out of context (and partially invented) by Sony, an ironic twist of fate given the parent company is meant to be making him look good.

After the majority of news outlets picked up on the quote and reported on it with the stance I think everyone expected them to - ourselves included - Druckmann saw the debate stirring and set the record straight. While I still vehemently disagree with comments he’s made about AI and how it will factor into the future of dialogue and storytelling, his points on Naughty Dog’s next game are right on the money.

Neil Druckmann Is Right, Naughty Dog Did Change Video Games Forever

There used to be a time when everything Naughty Dog touched would turn to gold. Not only did it give birth to Crash Bandicoot and help define the early era of 3D platformers, it pushed that philosophy even further with Jak & Daxter.

Then it turned its attention to cinematic blockbusters, essentially giving us gaming’s take on Indiana Jones with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. For several years, Nathan Drake gave us stunning titles which pushed forward the potential of visuals, gameplay, and performance capture in a medium that was becoming more and more sophisticated.

As a teenager I was head over heels for these games, playing them through several times until The Last of Us came along in 2013 and changed everything. Druckmann worked on every single Uncharted in some capacity, but The Last of Us is the first game where he sat in the director’s seat next to Bruce Straley.

It was and still is a masterpiece, quickly becoming the benchmark for mature and emotional stories in mainstream video games, and something everyone was told they should aspire to be. It was a narrative and a vision I believed and stood by, and in many ways still do. Sadly, it didn’t take long for this universal acclaim to evolve into unwavering hubris.

Before the very long development cycle of The Last of Us Part 2, Naughty Dog was plagued by grim reports of crunch and an old-fashioned approach to production that seldom inspired new ideas, and over time, has resulted in their gameplay design feeling strangely outdated. What helped set the world on fire in 2013 just doesn’t cut it in 2023, so when Druckmann is caught saying that he is once again going to change the gaming landscape forever, we turn our noses up.

Except Druckmann Didn’t Really Say That. Not Really...

He released a longer, uncut version of the transcript on Twitter which seems to come from a question asking about his dream project, or what he would “like to see realized in the realm of entertainment” in the future. Like most game developers, Druckmann jumped to the sort of games he loves to make, several of which he already has.

Then he touches on how, when he was growing up, gaming was more of a kid’s thing, while those with knowledge of the medium know what it is capable of in terms of interactivity and storytelling, yet for so long, it’s been impossible to break through those boundaries or show that, aside from a few select mainstream examples, that video games can be for everyone.

And he’s right in saying that we are now living in an era where the medium is recognised as a serious art form, even if that respect comes in the form of adaptations like The Last of Us or Fallout which, in some way, open to floodgates for people to pick up games for the first time.

His heavy involvement in the HBO show wasn’t necessarily about viewing games as somehow inferior to television or film, but to ensure this adaptation was as good as it could possibly be, both faithful and passionately crafted, instead of lazily adapting the game so it hardly broaches the realm of mediocrity. It’s an incredible show, and helped The Last of Us become a cultural juggernaut for the second time in its existence.

But Where Could The Future Be Taking Naughty Dog?

via Naughty Dog

When I was growing up, video game adaptations were almost never good. They were cheaply made with poor performances and didn’t care about the source material. Companies always viewed them as easy to make, market, and earn a profit from. There wasn’t any incentive to try and make them good, so nobody really bothered. That has changed, and it’s partially why video game adaptations are slowly replacing comic book adaptations as the next big thing across film and television.

People in high places are starting to realise that games are ripe for new audiences, not just existing ones who cling onto them like precious pearls. My parents have watched The Last of Us and Fallout, not because they like the games, but because they offer stories and characters that resonate in any medium, and if that’s the obstacle we must tackle in order to bring more eyes to the games that inspired them, then so be it.

The final parts of this newly released quote talk about how more eyes are on Naughty Dog than ever following the success of HBO’s The Last of Us, and there are naturally high hopes for whatever game it releases next, even if it takes several more years to come out.

Recent rumours point to it being a fantasy title, and judging from the sentiment expressed by Druckmann here, it hopes to both advance Naughty Dog’s formula but also try something new. And I hope it does, since this could be the game that shows the millions who enjoyed the adaptation exactly what video games can do without an emotional connection they’ve already made.

Crash Bandicoot, Jak & Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us all pushed the medium into the future in entirely unique and groundbreaking ways, and despite all the scepticism that surrounds Naughty Dog in the modern era, I’m still hesitant to bet against them. So long as their hubris doesn’t get out of control and Druckmann really is setting the record straight, it still stands a solid chance of raising yet another virtual benchmark.

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The Last of Us Part 2

Action Adventure Systems 5.0/5 9.0/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 93/100 Critics Rec: 95% Released June 19, 2020 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
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In The Last Of Us Part 2, the award-winning sequel to Naughty Dog's smash hit, Ellie sets off for Seattle and a showdown with a deadly enemy.

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