Naughty Dog's Intergalactic Delayed Past 2026, Druckmann Says 'Incredible' in Office Playtests

As fans eagerly await the next installment in The Witcher series, The Witcher 4, which is slated for release no earlier than 2027, a similar timeline has emerged for Naughty Dog's newly announced game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier's comments on ResetEra, neither title will see the light of day in 2026. This means that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is also looking at a 2027 release at the earliest, raising questions about its target platform—whether it will be for the PlayStation 5, the forthcoming PlayStation 6, or possibly as a cross-gen title.

If Intergalactic bypasses the PS5 and launches directly on the PS6, Naughty Dog would miss out on releasing a new game on Sony's current-gen console. So far, the studio has focused on ports, remasters, and remakes for the PS5, including titles like The Last of Us Part II, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, The Last of Us Part I, and The Last of Us Part II Remastered.

Naughty Dog unveiled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet at The Game Awards 2024, showcasing a star-studded cast led by Tati Gabrielle, known from the Uncharted movie, as the protagonist Jordan A. Mun, and Kumail Nanjiani from Marvel's Eternals as Colin Graves. Fans have been dissecting the trailer to identify the rest of the cast, with a crew photo hinting at additional characters.

Earlier this month, Neil Druckmann, the director of The Last of Us, provided further insights into Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. In an interview with Alex Garland, the writer behind the zombie film 28 Days Later, Druckmann revealed that the game has been in development for four years. He humorously reflected on the backlash received for The Last of Us Part II and expressed a desire to explore less controversial themes with Intergalactic, focusing on faith and religion.

Set in an alternate historical timeline, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet revolves around a significant religion that has evolved over time. The narrative follows a bounty hunter, Jordan A. Mun, who crash-lands on a mysterious planet where communication has ceased for 600 years. Druckmann emphasized the game's focus on isolation and discovery, aiming to immerse players in an environment where they must unravel the planet's history to find a way off.

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Screenshots

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With a projected release in 2027, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will have been in development for six years by the time it launches. Despite the lengthy wait, Druckmann shared with IGN at the premiere of The Last of Us Season 2 that the game is not only playable but also "really good." He teased that the gameplay is "incredible" and that the game delves much deeper than what has been shown so far.