The long-awaited The Last of Us 3 seems destined for a PlayStation 6 release, leaving fans facing a considerable wait. While no official announcements have surfaced regarding The Last of Us 3’s development or release date, recent revelations from Naughty Dog suggest a later-than-hoped-for launch.
Since 2020, Naughty Dog has primarily focused on developing a new sci-fi IP titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Alongside this, they’ve also been involved with the now-cancelled The Last of Us Online and various remaster projects. This workload strongly indicates that The Last of Us 3, if in development at all, is likely in the very early stages of pre-production.
Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s lack of a concrete release date seemingly rules out a 2025 launch. A 2025 release would likely have been announced during the recent reveal. This points towards a potential 2026 or even 2027 release window, based on hints within the reveal trailer.
It’s reasonable to assume that full production on The Last of Us 3 won’t commence until after Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet’s release. Considering the typical development cycle, this places The Last of Us 3’s release firmly in the next decade, potentially the early 2030s. With the PS6 rumored to launch in 2028, The Last of Us 3 will almost certainly be a PS6 title, and possibly a PS6 exclusive.
Naughty Dog’s previous The Last of Us titles required approximately four years of full production. If The Last of Us 3 enters full production in 2026 or 2027, a 2030-2031 release window becomes plausible. However, this remains speculative as the game hasn’t even been officially confirmed. While a sequel feels inevitable, it seems Naughty Dog is currently prioritizing its first new IP in over a decade.
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