Neil Druckmann Confirmed The Last of Us Part II Originally Featured More Open-World Mechanics

It's no secret that The Last of Us Part II, one of the best-received games of its generation with over 300 GOTY awards, went through some amount of cut content during development, something studio representatives have confirmed over the years. In a new interview, Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann once again touched on this, this time confirming a scrapped open-world mechanic and sharing some details about it.

Speaking with The Washington Post, Druckmann confirmed the game originally had a more open structure, similar in spirit to Ghost of Yotei, letting players freely explore Seattle. The original plan had Ellie raiding other people's shelters for supplies, only realizing later she'd actually been robbing innocent survivors just trying to get by. According to Druckmann, that behavior ultimately didn't fit who Ellie is as a character, so despite its potential, the idea got cut. You can check out his fuller comments below.

“As we were thinking about the story we wanted to tell, this mechanic which was really cool, we thought Ellie wouldn’t do that. The choices we’re giving you as a player don’t match the character, we want you to play as. Something has to give, and in that case, the gameplay gave. And maybe later you find out you killed some innocent people.”

This week also brought a bigger The Last of Us announcement from Druckmann, confirming the studio is working on new projects within the franchise that'll expand the canon beyond the first two games. Those projects, the exact number of which hasn't been shared, are still in very early development, so don't expect any official reveals soon. You can also check out possible directions for The Last of Us Part III or other spin-offs that could expand the universe further.

Naughty Dog has also confirmed the studio will show off its new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, sometime in 2027. An exact release date for the upcoming PS5 exclusive is still unknown, but rumors point to the second half of next year.