Exclusive Insights: The Creator of Last of Us Unveils Exciting Details About His New Game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet

Since the announcement of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Naughty Dog’s latest project, it’s been on my mind. That title! The teaser trailer didn’t give much away in terms of story or gameplay, but it did set an intriguing vibe—a space adventure mixed with ’80s pop-rock and bounty hunters. My only outlet for excitement was to say “Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet” to anyone who’d listen. Thankfully, a recent chat between Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann and filmmaker Alex Garland has shed some light on what we can expect.

Druckmann shared that he’s been developing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet for four years. He reminds us that, like any game, things might evolve as development continues. Currently, the game is set 2,000 years in the future. It takes place in a timeline that diverged from ours back in the 1980s.

This alternate reality features a new religion born from a significant event that altered history. Druckmann and his team have crafted an intricate backstory, detailing how this religion grew and transformed over two millennia. Garland pointed out that the 2,000-year time jump is intriguing, reminiscent of other well-known prophets from the past. Players will likely encounter the game’s Heretic Prophet, driving the narrative forward.

“With The Last of Us 2, some of our choices were divisive,” Druckmann admitted. “So we thought, let’s tackle a topic that might stir less controversy: faith and religion!”

During their conversation, Druckmann expressed a deep admiration for various games, from Half-Life 2 to the classic Monkey Island series, noting that Monkey Island 2 has his favorite ending ever. While he didn’t link this inspiration directly to Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, the gameplay appears to focus more on exploration rather than combat, unlike The Last of Us.

In Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, players will take on the role of a bounty hunter who crash-lands on a barren planet. This planet is home to the ancient religious order from 2,000 years ago. “This whole religion unfolds on this one planet, and at some point, all contact with it just stops,” Druckmann explained. The bounty hunter will need to navigate this strange world and uncover its history to escape. “I want you to feel lost in this place, confused by the people and their past.”

Space has always been a fertile ground for exploring themes of belief and identity, and it seems Druckmann is ready to dive deep into these concepts. He’s also hinted at a quirky future where CDs still exist amid the cosmic backdrop. More details about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet are sure to come before we see The Last of Us Part 3.

[says to self] Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.