Naughty Dog Revives Uncharted: Nathan Drake Returns After 10 Years Away
Since the epilogue of Uncharted 4 in 2016, the franchise seemed shelved, with Nathan Drake enjoying a well-earned retirement. But according to multiple sources, Naughty Dog is calling him back into action.
Ten years after hanging up his grappling hooks in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, gaming’s most iconic treasure hunter could be making a comeback. That’s what MP1ST reports, citing sources close to the project—a claim quickly backed up by leaker NateTheHate. Shaun Escayg, the creative mind behind the excellent Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, is reportedly at the helm of this brand-new title, which is expected to follow Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
Image credit: Naughty Dog
A new game, not a remake
Important clarification: this isn’t the rumored remake of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune that was floated internally in recent years. According to MP1ST’s sources, the project is a completely original title—the first new entry in the franchise since Uncharted: The Lost Legacy in 2017. Leaker NateTheHate quickly confirmed this on ResetEra, specifying that his hints about a non–The Last of Us Naughty Dog project were indeed about Uncharted. Journalist excaliburps, who wrote the MP1ST article, even mentioned on ResetEra that he “sat on this info for a while, seeking multiple confirmations” before publishing—a sign this scoop isn’t based on a single source. There’s still no official word from Sony or Naughty Dog, but the alignment between a specialist outlet and a trusted insider gives this leak some serious weight.
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Nathan Drake is back—but in what role?
That’s the big question stirring up the community right now. According to MP1ST, Nathan Drake will appear in the game “in some form or another”, but their sources can’t confirm whether he’ll be the main character, a supporting role, or just a cameo. Remember, the epilogue of Uncharted 4 showed an older, retired Drake living peacefully with Elena and their daughter Cassie. Cassie, a teenager fascinated by her dad’s adventures, could logically take up the mantle—a theory floated by MP1ST, though it’s still pure speculation. Meanwhile, fan theories are running wild:
- Cassie Drake as the new protagonist, inheriting the family’s adventurous spirit
- A Lost Legacy sequel starring Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross, as some ResetEra users hope
- A prequel featuring a young Drake alongside Sully and Eddie Raja
Each scenario would take the series in a radically different direction, and nothing in the current info points to one over the others. On Reddit, debate is already raging between those eager for the saga to evolve and others, like user Cess007, who wish the franchise had “stayed closed.”
Shaun Escayg at the helm: betting on Lost Legacy
Choosing Shaun Escayg as director is no accident. The guy knows this franchise inside out—he’s the one who led Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, a spin-off praised for its pacing, the chemistry between Chloe and Nadine, and its more ambitious open environments compared to Uncharted 4. On ResetEra, one user summed up a common feeling: “Lost Legacy was way better than Uncharted 4. It took the best parts of 4 and made a game you actually want to replay.”
But there’s a shadow on the horizon. Between Lost Legacy and his return to Naughty Dog, Escayg served as creative director on Marvel’s Avengers at Crystal Dynamics—a project whose single-player campaign had its moments, but whose games-as-a-service model crashed and burned. Two wildly different experiences, leaving some legitimate questions about the creative direction he’ll bring to this new Uncharted. Still, Naughty Dog’s faith in their veteran seems unshaken.
Naughty Dog is juggling four major projects
This new Uncharted would join an already packed schedule. Naughty Dog is reportedly developing Intergalactic, the studio’s next game, The Last of Us Part III and another TLOU project, plus this new Uncharted. Four projects at once for a studio known for taking its time with each release. According to MP1ST’s reported priorities, Intergalactic will launch first, followed by this Uncharted, then The Last of Us Part III. In other words, fans will need patience: a release before 2029 or 2030 seems unlikely, and priorities could still shift, even after the cancellation of The Last of Us’s standalone multiplayer mode, which freed up some resources.
The release of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet will be the first real test of Naughty Dog’s new multi-project approach. If the studio officially announces this new Uncharted—maybe at a future PlayStation Showcase—they’ll have to answer the burning question: is Nathan Drake taking the lead again, or is he finally passing the torch to the next generation?
