Neil Druckmann: No Sequel Plans Due to Lack of Confidence

At the recent DICE Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, Neil Druckmann of Naughty Dog and Cory Barlog of Sony Santa Monica engaged in a candid discussion about a topic deeply personal to them: doubt. Over the course of an hour, they delved into their own insecurities as creators and discussed how they determine when an idea feels "right." The session also featured pre-submitted audience questions, one of which focused on character development in sequels. Druckmann's response was particularly revealing, especially given his experience with sequels.

Druckmann shared that he doesn't plan for multiple games. He explained, "That's a very easy question for me to answer, because I never think about multiple games, because the game in front of us is so all-consuming. I think you're jinxing yourself if you're starting to think about the sequel when you're working on the first game." He elaborated that while making The Last of Us 2, he occasionally considered potential future directions, but his primary focus was always on the current project. "I'm not saving some idea for the future. If there's a cool idea, I'm doing my best to get it into here."

Ten-year payoffs

Druckmann further explained his approach, noting that the only exception to this rule is the The Last of Us TV show, which is planned for multiple seasons. When it comes to sequels, rather than having a pre-existing plan, he reflects on what has been done and identifies unresolved elements and potential new directions for the characters. "And if I feel like the answer is, they can't go anywhere, then I go, 'I think we'll just kill them off.'"

He humorously added that he looks back at past projects to find new paths for characters. For instance, when working on Uncharted 1, they had no idea about the iconic train sequence in Uncharted 2. Each subsequent game in the series built upon the previous ones, ensuring they did not repeat themselves and explored new adventures for Nathan Drake.

In contrast, Barlog admitted to a different approach, describing his process as akin to a "Charlie Day crazy conspiracy board," where he tries to connect and plan with various pieces over time. He finds it rewarding to link current work with plans made a decade earlier, yet acknowledges the stress involved. "It's just so magical, but it is absolutely, unequivocally the most unhealthy thing ever, because it is insanely stressful to try to fold and connect each of these pieces," he said, highlighting the challenges of maintaining such long-term plans amidst changing teams and perspectives.

Druckmann responded that this level of long-term planning requires a confidence he doesn't possess. "I just want to focus on the next five days in front of me, let alone 10 years down the line."

The reason to wake up

The conversation also touched on their current feelings about their careers. Druckmann shared his passion for games, recounting an interaction with Pedro Pascal on the set of The Last of Us TV show. Pascal, in jest, asked Druckmann if he liked art, to which Druckmann responded defensively. Pascal's reply, "It's the reason to wake up in the morning. It's why I live and breathe," resonated deeply with Druckmann, reinforcing why he continues to create despite the challenges and negativity, including death threats.

Druckmann then turned the conversation to Barlog, asking about the concept of "enough" in light of their colleague Ted Price's retirement. Barlog's response was introspective and raw: "Is it ever enough? The short answer's, no, it's never enough." He described the relentless drive to achieve more, likening it to climbing a mountain only to see another, taller one in the distance. The constant push forward, despite the collective effort to bring ideas to life, is driven by an internal "demon of obsession" that never allows one to fully enjoy the moment of achievement.

Druckmann softened this sentiment by sharing an anecdote about Jason Rubin's departure from Naughty Dog. Rubin had told him that leaving would create opportunities for others to rise up. Druckmann sees his eventual departure in a similar light, gradually stepping back from day-to-day involvement to allow new talent to emerge and take on new challenges.

Barlog humorously concluded the talk, saying, "Very convincing. I'm going to retire."