Naughty Dog has been a valuable member of PlayStation Studios and The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann has some exciting news for the future. Unfortunately, it seems like Sony cut to the chase and trimmed some fat which allegedly made his statement sound misleading.
It is dangerous to share any kind of information these days, especially in the game industry and apparently, Sony doesn’t mind throwing people under the bus. Druckmann has been in this business long enough to know how the company operates and he didn’t take this lightly.
Naughty Dog President Neil Druckmann Clarified his Statements
The studio is working on a new project but isn’t ready to reveal anything yet. Druckmann achieved something remarkable with his directorial debut and did so again with the sequel just on a different scale and even contributed to the live-action adaptation on HBO which was held with high regard even by the showrunners of Fallout.
The director recently shared a lengthy statement about how fortunate he is to be in the position he is today and how he was able to bring his passion projects to life. However, Sony allegedly saw the opportunity to turn his statement into an advertisement for the future project of his studio which is, to be fair, quite unethical and disrespectful.
This is not quite what I said. A short 🧵 pic.twitter.com/IgjPm1MwaH
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) May 25, 2024
Druckmann didn’t appreciate Sony shortening his answers. He then went on to share his in-depth response from the interview.
In editing my rambling answers in my recent interview with SONY, some of my words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost. Well, here's the full long rambling answer for the final question about our future game… pic.twitter.com/tVuxX3LYJF
— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) May 25, 2024
Druckmann intended to share how the games made by the studio were able to bridge the gap between video games and live-action adaptations. The interview failed to represent Druckmann’s point and used it to generate hype and anticipation for the future by misrepresenting him.
Sony is aware of what the studio is capable of and the gaming community often leans towards the studio for a genuine gaming experience. Not all projects were well-received, particularly The Last of Us Part 2 which was hailed as Game of the Year but didn’t sit well with the community.
The Last of Us Has Set the Precedent for Naughty Dog
It is difficult to develop a project that could overthrow its predecessor. Druckmann was faced with the daunting task of directing a sequel to one of the greatest games of all time and delivering something groundbreaking instead that shook the community to its core.
Although the violence and gore may not appeal to everyone, it is unjust not to acknowledge the studio’s boldness. The developers are committed to delivering a realistic gaming experience and Druckmann isn’t ready to share what he and his team are working on.
Sony took the opportunity to get the community excited at the cost of misrepresenting Druckmann and his studio which is quite unfortunate. Perhaps the publisher is excited as well but came across differently.
What are your thoughts on Druckmann’s responses being edited by Sony? Share your opinions in the comments section below!
