Naughty Dog’s upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, has entered the final stage of production, according to studio head Neil Druckmann. The game is now playable internally, with the development team focusing on refinement and polish ahead of a larger reveal planned for 2027.
Druckmann was on a talk show recently where he explained that Intergalactic combines elements from three of Naughty Dog’s most recognizable franchises, bringing together the science fiction and fantasy influences of Jak and Daxter, the action-adventure gameplay of Uncharted, and the dramatic storytelling of The Last of Us.
“We used to have another game franchise called Jak and Daxter… we really wanted to take everything we learned from that franchise, which is sci-fi fantasy, the action-adventure stuff we learned with Uncharted, the more kind of serious drama we got for The Last of Us, and it really is a combination of those three franchises,” Druckmann said.
The studio is also looking to expand its gameplay systems beyond what it has attempted in previous releases. According to Druckmann, one of the team’s main goals was to explore whether Naughty Dog could retain its cinematic approach to storytelling while introducing greater gameplay depth.
Anime has been another major influence on the project, particularly Akira and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Druckmann said the team drew inspiration not only from their visual styles but also from their treatment of philosophical themes and their ability to surprise audiences.
Naughty Dog intends to reveal substantially more about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet next year, including its gameplay and additional story details.
Druckmann suggested that players may be surprised when they finally see what the game involves. He also confirmed that the project features a large cast, although the studio wants audiences to discover much of the story and its characters through the game itself.
First announced at The Game Awards in December 2024, Intergalactic is Naughty Dog’s first original franchise since The Last of Us.
The sci-fi action-adventure stars Tati Gabrielle as Jordan A. Mun, a bounty hunter stranded on Sempiria, an isolated planet. Performance capture for the project was completed in August 2026, but Sony has not announced a release date.
Beyond Intergalactic, Naughty Dog is working on other projects. Druckmann confirmed in September 2026 that the studio was in the early stages of two projects expanding The Last of Us universe.
A separate, unannounced game is also reportedly in development at Naughty Dog, with speculation pointing to a new Uncharted entry directed by Shaun Escayg.
