Since the initial release of Naughty Dog Studio’s hit video game The Last of Us back in 2013, the franchise has expanded like no other and now there are ongoing discussions of The Last of Us 3. From an equally successful sequel to HBO’s TV adaptation, people just can’t get enough of Joel, Ellie, and their post-apocalyptic world. So naturally, most fans will be happy to hear that in addition to a second season of the TV show, Naughty Dog is also set to release a third installment in the game.
Almost four years after the release of The Last of Us 2, writer Neil Druckmann has finally announced that he is done drafting the outline for the third game. But his statement has us wondering — is there really more story left to be told in The Last of Us 3? Let’s find that out in this guide.
The Writers Have One Final Story to Tell Before Saying Goodbye
Most fans of the franchise think that the excellence of the first and second video game installments will be a tough act to follow. But the writers have confirmed that they have a few loose threads to tie up in the potential threequel. As far as the plot of the game goes, while most details are still under wraps, rumor has it that the third game will pick up from right where the second ended.
That also means Ellie is going to remain the central protagonist of the gaming franchise till the very end. Rumor has it that the third game will begin with Ellie trying to find her purpose in life after losing the person she was closest to in the world, Joel. The Last of Us 2 ended with Ellie’s entire world crashing down when she’s abandoned by her first love, Dina, who also took their adopted son, J.J, along with her. So, at this point, Ellie has nothing to live for, which might be why she decides to seek revenge for Joel’s death.
Ellie Might Not Be The Only Star of the Show
Abby Anderson is highly likely to be the second major protagonist of the third gaming installment in The Last of Us franchise. Fans got to play with Abby in the last game, and this time, they might get a chance to explore how this character deals with the aftermath of her actions. This way, players will also get a chance to be on the other side of Ellie’s revenge arc. The Last of Us Part II also ended with Abby setting off with Lev, and in The Last of Us 3, their story is probably going to revolve around The Catalina Island Firefly Colony, just as the game hinted.
But at the same time, some fan theories seem to believe that the new game will focus on completely new characters. The speculations started when Naughty Dog posted an announcement, looking to hire 5 motion capture actors for one of their games. However, the post was soon taken down, leading fans to believe that the studio did so because they didn’t want to spoil the third game. This is only a speculation at this point and should be taken with a grain of salt though.
The Last of Us Can’t Ever Get Rid of Ellie
If there’s one thing that Naughty Dog is sure of, it’s the fact that Ellie is a fan-favorite character. Without giving her the closure she needs after all the trauma she went through in Part 2, the franchise will be faced with endless backlash. The truth is — even if the game introduces new characters, they can’t just remove Ellie from the narrative.
But when it comes to Part 3, it might be a good time for stakeholders to make Ellie take a backseat and convert it into more of a passive character. While the studio needs to bring her story to an end, it makes sense for the writers to introduce fresh characters who can eventually take the baton from her. One way to do this would be to give Ellie the chance to actually process Joel’s death and maybe reunite with Dina and J.J. in the process.
At Its Core, The Last of Us Is a Story about Love
According to Druckmann himself, The Last of Us franchise is all about love. The first game focuses on Joel finding love in Ellie after losing his family. The second one shows what happens when love is taken away and the obsession that follows. So, the third installment can very well be about Ellie learning how to let go of hate and repair all the ruined relationships in her life.
For now, the third part of the game doesn’t have a release date. Judging the average development cycle of the franchise, though, it’s easy to assume that The Last of Us 3 might take at least a few more years to hit the market. Till then, you can catch up on all the differences there are between The Last of Us game and TV show.