u/FearlessGear

We know that Neil Druckmann/ND aren’t averse to deceptive marketing, and they want to avoid another leak situation / they don’t want to overshadow their new IP being released in 2027. Additionally, I think Sony leaned on them to accelerate part III’s development following the success of the first season of the HBO show several years ago. I also think the rumors regarding a new uncharted is a misdirect, the unnamed game that’s been in development for at least 4 years now is TLOU, and that they’re aiming to release part III shortly after intergalactic (as in, 2028/29). I expect an announcement in late 2027-early 2028 after season 3 of the show (buy the game to see more!) and intergalactic are released.

Recent statements “hinting” at a potential part III are all misdirects. They’re drumming up hype through nebulous hints without explicitly marketing anything or revealing any details to avoid pressure directed at the studio/undermining intergalactic’s release. I don’t think they would be hinting at anything at all if the game was actually only in early development. First, the immune commune idea is definitely not what they’re going with as the main plot- no way they’re releasing the premise (or limiting future options) through the musings of Neil in a throwaway comment given how tight-lipped and calculated they were about the IP in the lead up to Part II. That they released anything plot related, however, tells me that they have a definitive story planned already. Also, Troy baker wouldn’t say that we haven’t seen the last of Joel yet unless he was explicitly directed to do so to further fuel the hype.

Then came the rumors that part III will come after intergalactic and Uncharted 5 - the uncharted part is also a lie I think, l to throw us off from the fact that the Uncharted 4 director, Shaun Escayg, has been leading what seems to be a very large team (around 200 - far more than what they need for pre-production - unless they have a secret 3rd project in the works that is utilizing a large team, which I doubt). This team has developing an unnamed project (which I suspect is actually TLOU3), for over 4 years now at ND (revealed march 2025). Again, this is not preproduction - so the pertinent question here is: what makes more sense for the studio to focus on right now - TLOU or UC5?

The development for this game began the same year that factions was dropped to focus on single-player IPs, and Shaun also headed the development of the Part 1 remake - plus his first ever game was TLOU1 - which is why I can buy that Neil would entrust development of part III to him, especially prior to full production. This also coincided with Neil being heavily involved in developing the show/directing intergalactic and thus unable to direct tlou again in the initial stages of the third game’s development. Part III development also explains why Gross isn’t lead writer for Intergalactic and subsequently why Neil AND Gross stepped away from the show before season three. Finally, it makes no sense as a financial strategy to focus on another uncharted instalment during the show’s run instead of leveraging the show momentum as a major marketing piece to bring in new players.

I think Neil was genuinely traumatized by the part II leaks, crazy fans trying to pressure the games’ release when it was delayed and associated drama due to a vocal hate campaign in the lead-up to part II. Even back then, I knew if they ever were gonna release another game, there was no way they were doing an extended marketing run to avoid that ever happening again, not that the IP needs it at this point, anyway. It’s been years since a single player game has been released by ND, and I suspect they plan on dropping more than one in relatively quick succession come 2027 as they stage their comeback as a major player in the industry. It simply doesn’t make strategic sense for the studio to be putting all their eggs in one untested basket for several more years when they haven’t had big money from a major release since 2020 when they have an existing IP that can print money at this point.

My background is in marketing/strategy, not game development, however, so if I’m missing something here, please point it out!

tldr: I think they’ve already been marketing/developing the game for years in a very smart way, right under everyone’s noses.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m in the camp that believes that narratively - for the franchise to have a successful future in Ellie as the protagonist - Joel had to die/ become permanently disabled in part II. That’s not my issue with this game.

I just don’t understand why they did it in such a way that they KNEW would fragment the fanbase (evidenced by the manipulative marketing) and then spent the remaining ridiculous amount of playtime tearing down the remaining beloved protagonist in the most brutal possible way, with half of the playtime still not focusing on the protagonist. It kills replayability of parts one and two, the future and momentum of the franchise, and at the end of the day, just isn’t fucking fun for the vast majority of people (which is the whole fucking point of a game). Not only that, but Ellie is still punished for making the “correct” decision at the end of the game, literally losing everything anyway.

Like. I get that Neil wanted to push boundaries (as if revenge bad is somehow a groundbreaking concept/original lesson 🙄) but it seems like he thinks the best possible game is one that evokes strong emotions, no matter if they are literally all negative. For this to work, to be a satisfying game that doesn’t kill the franchise, there has to be a moment of catharsis, for there to be actual wins. Instead he spent the entire fucking game brutalizing one beloved protagonist after killing the other one in the most horrific way possible just for shock value. Or maybe it was to fingerwag and say “see, you enjoy the violence of these games, but did you ever stop to have empathy for the other side????” Like he’s punishing us for enjoying a fucking violent games like the ones he fucking makes?

I just don’t get what he was thinking would happen?? He blames the leaks for the failure, but even if Joel’s death hadn’t been spoiled, I don’t think anybody who enjoyed the first game - that made you really care for these characters, that went to dark places and had dramatic moments, but maintained a thread of levity and hope throughout - would receive a long ass torture porn version as the follow up with literally zero resolution well?? Not only that, but the gameplay is fucking fantastically done, and then the whole game is spent trying to make you “feel bad” about enjoying the best part of the game? Not to mention the messy crunch that clearly resulted in them moving a lot of shit around, making the characters motivations schizophrenic and the message contradictory?

And why the hell did Sony sign off on this shit? Any moron could’ve seen the writing on the wall that a brutally miserable gaming experience destroying the protagonists from the original was gonna kill the franchise in a way there’s no coming back from?

Like it’s all well and good to blame this shit on the “culture war” but that’s not why I and a lot of other people are upset with this fucking game, and it seems Neil still hasn’t learned his lesson somehow?? I’m one of the few who would still buy part 3 if only to see Ellie reach a better place than where 2 left off, but I saw an interview with someone from a while back (I forget who now but if somebody finds it please let me know) that Neil had pitched the “commune of immune people” idea and he had responded saying that that would totally remove all of the weight of Joel’s decision at the end of the first game, basically making it meaningless. And I agree. However, it seems that Neil can’t let good ideas or take criticism, so that’s probably where the franchise is going to have its death rattle.

Anyway, just completely baffling on all possible levels. I’m glad this sub exists because the other subs won’t let you critique a goddamn thing about this game or Neil’s “process” without accusing you of an ism, which is patently absurd.