Naughty Dog Claims Starfield: Heretic Prophet Will Be Its Largest and Most Expensive Game Ever

On September 14, it was reported that Naughty Dog's upcoming title Starfield: Heretic Prophet has been the subject of much attention since its announcement at last year's TGA (IT Home note: the game’s release date is still unconfirmed), though many players have also expressed doubts.

Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann told Variety magazine in an interview before the Emmy Awards this year that the game would be the studio's most ambitious, largest in scale, and highest-budget title to date.

Druckmann stated that development is already in an advanced stage, with some content available for hands-on previews. "This is the most ambitious game we’ve ever made, and the largest in scale. When it’s finished, it will also be the highest-invested project we’ve undertaken."

Based on current information, Starfield: Heretic Prophet is a new original IP with a futuristic sci-fi theme. In the first trailer, the protagonist uses a weapon similar to a lightsaber, suggesting the game may continue Naughty Dog's signature style in the action-adventure genre.

Druckmann explained that the gameplay builds upon and expands Naughty Dog's previous experience:
"You can look at our past works, starting with Uncharted. We've been trying to make realistic character-driven action games, third-person shooters, while blending them with deeply emotional narratives. Then, with The Last of Us, we introduced some RPG elements and explored broader linear levels. Continuing along that trajectory, adding in sci-fi elements, you’ll start to understand what we’re doing. And our goals are even grander now. I’m really excited to see how all of this comes together. I think people will be surprised."

Druckmann also mentioned that he hopes to expand Starfield: Heretic Prophet into a series, but for now, the primary focus is on completing the development of the game itself.

Regarding The Last of Us, he stated there is still much work to be done related to the franchise. He discussed the expansion of the IP, saying, "We’ve made comic books and novels for The Last of Us, and we tried to adapt it into a movie, but it didn’t work out. We eventually turned to a TV series adaptation. There are still many parts of The Last of Us’s world that haven't been revealed yet."

Although he has stepped back from the production of The Last of Us TV series, preparation for Season 3 is still progressing smoothly. On the gaming front, Druckmann confirmed that The Last of Us 3 is not in development, and the studio's full focus is on Starfield: Heretic Prophet.