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The Last Of Us Director Neil Druckmann Is Now Co-President Of Naughty Dog

Druckmann previously served as VP of the studio while writing and directing games like The Last of Us Part 2.

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Neil Druckmann--the writer and creative director behind The Last of Us series and Uncharted 4--has a new title to go along with his work: Naughty Dog co-president.

The promotion was announced in a December 4 blog post on Naughty Dog's website, with now-co-president Evan Wells mentioning that Druckmann had previously been serving as VP of the studio for about three years.

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Now Playing: The Last Of Us Part 2 - Official Launch Trailer

"We have such an incredible team at Naughty Dog and being able to work alongside each and every one of them is especially meaningful these days," Wells added. "I feel proud of the team when I'm able to recognize their accomplishments and contributions to the studio."

Prior to his work on The Last of Us and Uncharted, Druckmann worked as a gameplay programmer on Jak 3 and Jak X: Combat Racing. He's also involved in the HBO The Last of Us series currently in the works. That series apparently expand the universe rather than retell what we've already seen. Producer Craig Mazin also created the miniseries Chernobyl.

The Last of Us Part 2 is one of the highest-rated games of 2020, with particular praise going toward its storytelling and performances. Naughty Dog hasn't given much indication about what its next project will be, whether that be The Last of Us, Uncharted, or something else. The studio has not released a game in a new franchise in more than seven years.

Whatever the next game happens to be, we probably won't hear about it for a few years. There was a four-year gap between Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us Part 2, with the smaller-scale Uncharted: The Lost Legacy launching in between. The Jax franchise has been on ice for years, though it's unlikely Naughty Dog would revisit it after its push toward more-mature games. We will still hold out hope.

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Berserk8989

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Edited By Berserk8989

Completely deserved I'd say. Wrote and directed the fastest selling PS exclusive of all time, had the balls to make the game he and his team wanted, not what the suits would've wanted AND exposed internet bullies for what they are: frustrated and entitled little snowflakes.

We need more people like this in the industry.

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kuchiki-ness

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We only get to wait and see which path he will take from now on, cause I loved all previous ND games, we will see if he learned from the mistake he made.

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BDRTFM

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Edited By BDRTFM

Nice reward for messing up one of my most anticipated games ever and pissing off millions of people for daring to not love his baby as much as he expected them to. Just what his massive ego needed. The game sold well because everyone trusted ND. Many won't make that mistake again and will wait awhile before buying their next game to make sure its something worth their $60-$90. Yes it was a decent game on its own but when compared to its predecessor, it was a huge disappointment for many. I don't think they even originally planned to make a second game but the suits probably demanded it. It kind of shows in that it looks like someone came up with a great idea and said that would make an awesome game, which became TLOU. And then suits said, do it again and Druckmann was like, OK now we have to come up with a story for a game, lets all put our heads together and come up with something, which became TLOU2. So many obviously bad decisions made for that game, it boggles the mind that ND couldn't see it. The saddest part is, when you say anything bad about the game, defenders come in and say you just don't understand it. Then they try and explain to you what they somehow just know Druckmann was shooting for with the story - the fact that every one of them comes up with a different version of what the story was meant to be about shows they haven't a clue. The game wasn't that deep. There is nothing to misunderstand.

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DeadPhoenix86

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Look how they massacred my boy. First game was a master piece. Second game took a huge dump, and made it to the worst game of the year. Glad i didn't spend 60 bucks on this POS.

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arclight007

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The Final Nail in The Coffin

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@sandrawfh84: Is anyone actually dumb enough to use these links?

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DaVillain

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DaVillain  Moderator

@Barighm: Only if your really horny lol.

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DaVillain

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DaVillain  Moderator

I personally don't like Neil Druckmann recent attitude but nevertheless, congrats on becoming Co-President Of Naughty Dog.

TLOU2 wasn't my personal favorite game but the gameplay was legit fun but overall, I prefer Ghost of Tsushima over TLOU2.

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BarakL

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Well done. Very talented writer and for me TLOU P2 was game of the year.

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uninspiredcup

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uninspiredcup  Online

Bros be mad.

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RedLotusX

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How can this idiot who ruined the Last of Us be Co-President? MY god Naughty Dog went down the toilet for real, might as well flush it down and never look back.

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Blk_Mage_Ctype

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@karengig84: Don't do it, she looks just like Abby!

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deactivated-6085a0bd46474

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@Blk_Mage_Ctype: Don't tell Neil or he'll end up giving her all his new stock options

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sippio

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NaughtyDog was already on my never again list because of this Troll.

The way he handled TLOU2 was disgusting and immature..

*Youtubers being flagged for talking about the game was disturbing..

Even fans of the game should be appalled by this powerplay because next time it will be against them or something they care about etc..

Funny how as you get older you allow principles to get in the way of things ;D

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Guavington

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Awesome news. TLOU2 is my game of the year for sure. If you haven’t played it, don’t listen to the critics and try it yourself. You might not like it, but if you’re like me, you’re gonna love it. At least you’ll know for sure what the real answer is for you. Don’t give so much power to critics and make up your own mind.

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DarkCaptain3

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@guavington: I played it and did not like it nor did I think it was honestly Game of the Year material at all. We had a lot of good games come out this year. The gameplay itself was solid and fine. The story was not okay at all. It made me hate the fact I was even playing the character I was playing because I hated her so damn much.

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Hsnberg

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@DarkCaptain3: You missed the WHOLE POINT of the story. Dude, just go back to that same FPS you play on your 5 year old PC and use your shotgun to shoot the exploding barrel.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@hsnberg: All this post has done is prove you're an ass.

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DarkCaptain3

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@hsnberg: I think you have me mistaken for a FPS person. An no the entire point of the story, as stated by one of the writers in an interview with Game Informer was that killing someone has unseen consequences always. And in this case it was that those close to the person killed sought revenge. If you think its anything else then you are reaching for something the writers themselves state isn't there.

The story is basically your actions have consequences.

Also have never played a game like CoD or Battlefield in my life. >_> They are games with no story thus not worth my time.

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dudeff13wasbad

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@guavington: I did not think any piece of media could grip, and of course obliterate me the way that TLOU2 did. I was to absolute awe from start to finish, the backlash is so bigoted and childish

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Doomerang

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@guavington: Hey if you want to give me $60 dollars to risk buying a game I may not like, go ahead. Otherwise, "ignore everyone else and just buy the game because you MIGHT like it" is horrible advice.

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sulfo

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Edited By sulfo

The weird thing for me is giving more power to someone who was exposed for some crude working conditions during the development of his last game. Game industry as its normal.

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Thanatos2k

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I believe the term for this is "failing upward"

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hardwenzen

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TLOU2 was the best game from ND.

Stay salty while their games break sales records.

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DarkCaptain3

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@hardwenzen: TLOU2 isn't one of their best selling games. Sure its up there but it didn't cap out like some of their others. The sales records say it wasn't.

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alastor529

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@hardwenzen: IDk about that, i know we all have opinions here but i think its safe to say Uncharted 2 is still up their as their best game.

also Last of Us 1 was better from a narrative standpoint and the multiplayer was really unique and cool (which it launched with, still no word on TLOU 2 multiplayer component)

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Lord_Sesshy

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@hardwenzen: Not everyone has to like the same kinds of games though.

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hardwenzen

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Edited By hardwenzen

@Lord_Sesshy said:

@hardwenzen: Not everyone has to like the same kinds of games though.

Sure, but shitting on it because daddy joe aka a video game character died or because Abby looks like a sheman (WHICH SHE ISN'T) or because a trans kid is ******* af. This was an adult story, and i can tell a lot of gamers are children OR manchildren.

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Lord_Sesshy

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@hardwenzen: Well then that makes more sense. I may not like the way the story went but I'm not gonna be salty about it for the story they wanted to tell.

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hardwenzen

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@Lord_Sesshy said:

@hardwenzen: Well then that makes more sense. I may not like the way the story went but I'm not gonna be salty about it for the story they wanted to tell.

If everyone thought the same way you do, this wouldn't be one of the most hated games of the last generation. But gaming is full of manchild gamers. Most of them have seen their youtuber/streamer bash the game, and all they do is repeat what their idol said lmao. They don't use their own brain for judgement, but simply repeat like monkeys.

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IgrokU

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Edited By IgrokU

@hardwenzen: because someone isn't allowed to not like a game that was not up to their expectations...... is that you Cuckmann?

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sippio

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@hardwenzen: I could care less about some streamers opinions..

But when they were flagged by Sony & ND for dumping on the game

that is the part that got my attention because i fear where that behavior and policy will lead in thew future..

We may have freedom of speech but these companies are private and using

TOS to dictate the topics..

*I am one of the few who didn't think the story from the 1st game was that great..

The stealth was that good..

Actually rteminds me of MGS V The PhantomPain..

Story was so corny but my god the stealth and motherbase was one hellova experience...

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hardwenzen

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@sippio said:

@hardwenzen: I could care less about some streamers opinions..

But when they were flagged by Sony & ND for dumping on the game

that is the part that got my attention because i fear where that behavior and policy will lead in thew future..

We may have freedom of speech but these companies are private and using

TOS to dictate the topics..

*I am one of the few who didn't think the story from the 1st game was that great..

The stealth was that good..

Actually rteminds me of MGS V The PhantomPain..

Story was so corny but my god the stealth and motherbase was one hellova experience...

If they TOS stramers, that's on Sony and ND, not the game being shit like the majority are saying.

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DarkCaptain3

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@hardwenzen: They ToS them though because the streamers were bad talking the game. An its Naughty Dog doing it so it makes it look worse.

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Gamerforlife96

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@hardwenzen: lmao "adult story" now that is funny

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DecadentDescent

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@gamerforlife96: Yea, because we all know the story played out like a child's bedtime lullaby.

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hardwenzen

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@gamerforlife96 said:

@hardwenzen: lmao "adult story" now that is funny

Not for you, i know. Teletubbies and the monthly Superhero horsesh*t is that way ------->

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@hardwenzen: And the edgy stories for emo goths and angry teens is <------ that way.

Seriously, what's so "adult" about going on a vengeful killing spree? When they told those stories in the 80s, they starred Arnold and Stallone and nobody really took them seriously.

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hardwenzen

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@Barighm: See? That's the thing. This game had nothing to do with vengence. You only see it as a vengeful killing spree when you haven't played it and THINK this is what the game is all about.

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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@hardwenzen: You can watch "Let's Plays" of the entire game, dude.

Vengeance is literally the impetus for the entire game, from both sides of the coin, so saying "vengeance has nothing to do with it" is objectively false. Throw in shades of female empowerment and social pandering, a hint of "omg who's the villain now?" cliche, and some lame attempt at a redemption arc...it's not really all that special. It's okay, but don't tell me it has nothing to do with vengeance or that it's a "mature" story. Putting nudity and violence in your game doesn't make it mature. That's just your average campy horror romp.

Want to make it a REAL adult story? Have Ellie FORGIVE her enemies and use her creativity and charm to figure out a way to actually benefit from the experience because, you know, you'd think she would have learned something from the consequences of Joel's selfish vengeance story. Real adults actually grow over time and that's something the characters don't really demonstrate.

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DarkCaptain3

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@hardwenzen: Because thats what the writer in an interview said it was about.....

It was about getting revenge for the death of those close to her.

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kobalobasileus

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Really doubling-down on that mistake, eh?

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