Naughty Dog has struck gold with every franchise they’ve released, and The Last of Us is no exception, making The Last of Us Part 3 one of the most anticipated games of this generation, but when is it likely to release? What will the story be? Who will be involved? We have all the info and much more than you could ever need!
Editor’s Note |
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This article will be continually updated as time passes, keeping it up-to-date with the latest news regarding The Last of Us Part 3. Make sure to check back regularly! |
The Last of Us Part 3 Release Date
Before the announcement of Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet at The Game Awards 2024, many expected Naughty Dog’s next game to be The Last of Us Part 3, especially with the rampant success of HBO’s adaptation. However, that all changed thanks to the surprise reveal, that the third installment is likely to be some years away. 2028 and beyond, more than likely, unless Naughty Dog is deep into development on both projects simultaneously, which, given the history of the studio isn’t unlikely, but the resource-heavy demands of both projects would point otherwise.
Platforms
Many expected The Last of Us Part 3 to be a flagship title for the PS5, but five years after the launch of the latest generation, it’s nowhere to be seen. With the PS5 Pro just released last year, we’re at the point where we’re looking forward to the next generation, as crazy as that may seem to say. Whether it ends up being a late PS5 release at the backend of the generation, or an early PS6 adopter, either way, we’ll definitely be playing it with a PlayStation controller in our hands.
Of course, we’ll also be expecting a PC release similar to the other two games. Whether this ends up being a delayed release like so many other PlayStation releases is yet to be seen, but we’d imagine so.

Story
Any The Last of Us fan knows exactly the twists, turns and shocking events of The Last of Us Part 2, so much so, that many fans that know are preparing those that don’t for the same hard-hitting scene in the show. It’d be fair to assume Neil Druckmann looks at The Last of Us Part 3 as an ending for Ellie and co, and during the Grounded documentary (part of the Part 2 Remastered release), Druckmann opened up a little about the third installment.
“I’ve been thinking about, ‘Is there a concept there?’ And for now years, I haven’t been able to find that concept. But recently, that’s changed. I don’t have a story, but I do have that concept that, to me, is as exciting as I, as exciting as II, is its own thing, yet has this throughline for all three. So it does feel like there’s probably one more chapter to this story.”
Vague enough to not give away anything, but not so vague that we don’t have some excitement!
Multiplayer
The Last of Us Online was canceled unceremoniously last year, seemingly not far from the finish line. Whilst it had its problems during development, it’d make sense to see Naughty Dog repurpose this into The Last of Us Part 3 in some way, and with how popular The Last of Us Factions continues to be, it’d be a surefire way to win some favor after the disappointment of the original cancellation.
Gameplay
The Last of Us Part 3 will almost certainly follow the same blueprints of the first two installments; stealth, third person, some horror elements, and a dialogue-driven experience. Of course, there will be additions the previous games didn’t have, but don’t expect it to break the mould too much.
Related Media

The Last of Us Part 3 may be some time off yet, but it’s still a fantastic time to be a fan of the franchise right now. The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered is arriving on PC April 2nd, following its debut on consoles in January 2024.
We’re also getting The Last of Us Season Two, which features Pedro Pascal (Fantastic Four: First Steps) as Joel Miller and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones) as Ellie, in what Neil Druckmann promises to be a graphic and bloody affair. The Last of Us Season Two premieres on HBO in April as well, although a specific release date is unknown currently.
For more Thumb Wars Gaming coverage, check out how The Last of Us Part 3 could make you smell the game, or how The Last of Us Part 3 should take a lesson from the HBO adaptations season two.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!