Sam Drake as a Villain and Flashbacks to 1695: Uncharted 4 Could Have Been So Much Different

On May 10, it’s been ten years since Naughty Dog released Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, the final chapter in the history of Nathan Drake and, in the opinion of many fans, the game that was robbed of the GOTY award by Overwatch at The Game Awards that year.

It was recently revealed that the game was nearly canceled at one point in development; a new leak now sheds light on how different Uncharted 4: A Thief's End might have been under the direction of lead writer Amy Hennig before she was replaced by Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley.

YouTuber Thekempy published a documentary on the creation of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, detailing the game’s development from 2011 to 2014, when it was led by the aforementioned Amy Hennig. Throughout the hour-and-a-half video, it is revealed how differently the game could have turned out. For instance, changes were so significant that other actors were attached to the project: Alan Tudyk was supposed to play Rafe instead of Warren Kole, and Troy Baker would have lost the role of Sam Drake to Todd Stashwick. Speaking of the characters, Nathan Drake’s brother was originally intended to have a more villainous role, acting as an associate of Rafe. Furthermore, Rafe himself was initially envisioned as a ruthless mercenary rather than a wealthy man driven by greed. Moreover, Charlie Cutter from Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception was set to return in Thief’s End, but plans were scrapped, and Naughty Dog only mentioned him in one of the game’s episodes.

The biggest change in Amy Hennig’s version of Uncharted 4 involved the gameplay. The film notes that the game originally included survival elements such as fishing, campfire building, and raft construction. In certain segments of the game, Nathan would have participated in interrogations as the interrogator; developers also planned to implement social stealth, allowing the hero to blend into crowds at social gatherings.

The game was also planned to feature a separate chapter set in 1695, in which players would have taken on the role of Henry Avery—the man whose treasure Nathan and Sam spend the game searching for—and would have included naval battles. Many other levels were also cut due to budget constraints, and the orphanage episode was unplayable during the early stages of development.

These are significant changes compared to the state in which Uncharted 4: A Thief's End was released, and some of the cut content sounds truly intriguing. We may see some of these elements in Uncharted 5, which is rumored to be in development at Naughty Dog, alongside the already confirmed Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and The Last of Us: Part III—work on which is also likely underway.

Are you disappointed that Naughty Dog removed some features from Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End? Share your thoughts in the comments below!