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

As fans eagerly await the release of *The Witcher 4*, they'll have to exercise similar patience for Naughty Dog's newly announced game, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet*. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier on ResetEra, neither title will hit the shelves in 2025. This means *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* is slated for a release no earlier than 2027, paralleling *The Witcher 4*. Both games face speculation about their target platforms: the PlayStation 5, the forthcoming PlayStation 6, or perhaps as cross-gen releases. If *Intergalactic* launches directly on the PS6, Naughty Dog would notably bypass the PS5 generation for new titles, having only released ports, remasters, and remakes such as *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* on the current-gen console.

Naughty Dog unveiled *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* at The Game Awards 2024, boasting a stellar cast including Tati Gabrielle from the *Uncharted* movie as protagonist Jordan A. Mun, and Kumail Nanjiani from *Marvel's Eternals* as Colin Graves. Fans have meticulously analyzed the trailer to identify additional cast members, even spotting a crew photo hinting at more characters.

Earlier this month, *The Last of Us* director Neil Druckmann provided further insight into *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* during an interview with Alex Garland, the writer of *28 Days Later*. Druckmann revealed that the game had been in development for four years already. He discussed the creative challenges faced with *The Last of Us Part II*, reflecting on the mixed reception and his team's subsequent focus on a less controversial theme—faith and religion.

*Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* is set in an alternate historical timeline, centered around a prominent religion that has evolved over time. The narrative follows a bounty hunter who crash-lands on a mysterious planet, isolated from all communication for 600 years. Druckmann emphasized the game's focus on the player's isolation and the quest to unravel the planet's history in order to escape.

Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Screenshots

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Assuming a 2027 release, *Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet* will have been in development for six years. Despite the lengthy wait, Druckmann reassured fans at the *The Last of Us Season 2* premiere that the game is not only playable but "really good." He expressed excitement about showcasing more gameplay, describing what has been revealed so far as merely "the very, very, very tip of the iceberg."