It’s Been 10 Years Since THAT Uncharted E3 Moment

Last Updated on Jun 16, 2025 @ 18:01:00 PM.

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Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End marks the end of Nathan Drake’s career as a treasure hunter as he traded his grappling hook for a normal life. Drake has been a PlayStation mascot over the years, and the developers made great strides to deliver a compelling story that elevates the franchise while giving him a proper farewell.

The year was 2015, and it was one of the strongest times of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 for short. Fans from all over the world gathered to see what major publishers had in store, and one moment stood out, but not for the reason many would think.

Remembering the Iconic Uncharted 4 Moment in E3

The gaming community had nothing but praise when Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End was released in 2016 for the PlayStation 4. It was an emotional rollercoaster full of Hollywood-level stunts and explosions paired with history lessons on the side.

After a few delays, the game was released in a near-perfect state, but Naughty Dog added a cheeky little easter egg to remember the iconic E3 blunder. During the live demonstration, Nathan and Sully were meant to race down the stairs to save Sam, who was on the other side of the city at the time. While the stakes are high, Nathan decided to either enjoy the moment or have a terrible case of stage fright.

happy 10th anniversary to the Uncharted 4 E3 demo fail when the controller got disconnected pic.twitter.com/qRDJtXE2Vy

— Radec (@realradec) June 15, 2025

This was a blunder on Naughty Dog’s side since the controller wasn’t synced to the PlayStation being used for the demo. Those in attendance were wondering if this was all part of the demonstration, but it was all an awkward mistake that was forever seared into their minds and part of E3 history.

Naughty Dog Gained Points for Transparency After the E3 Fiasco

Naughty Dog did something ambitious by seamlessly blending pre-rendered cutscenes into gameplay. This was a groundbreaking feature, but it became the second fiddle after viewers were giggling as Nate stood idly for 30 seconds. The developers made a quick recovery by replaying the same cutscene and found a paired controller.

While the Uncharted 4 demo was an eye-catcher, so was the E3 blunder. Naughty Dog later incorporated this into a trophy where Nate must stand for 30 seconds at the same spot and moment. It is a deep cut into this game’s development and will forever be remembered as one of the highlights of E3 2015.

For more Thumb Wars coverage, check out what Hideo Kojima had to say about early positive reactions to Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, and our review of The Alters. Otherwise, follow Thumb Wars on X, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram to keep up with the latest news, reviews, and interviews.

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