Neil Druckmann on Sequels: 'I Never Plan Ahead, Lacks 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 deeply personal conversation about doubt. The hour-long discussion touched on their personal insecurities as creators and how they determine the viability of ideas. A notable segment involved Druckmann responding to an audience question about character development across multiple games. Surprisingly, Druckmann revealed he doesn't plan for sequels while working on the current project.

"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," Druckmann explained. He emphasized the risk of jinxing a project by thinking too far ahead and prefers to focus solely on the current game, incorporating any compelling ideas into it rather than saving them for future installments. This approach extends to all his projects, except for the The Last of Us TV show, which he knows will have multiple seasons. When it comes to sequels, Druckmann reflects on what has been left unresolved and where characters can evolve. If a character's journey seems complete, he humorously suggested, "I think we'll just kill them off."

Druckmann illustrated this philosophy with examples from the Uncharted series, noting that iconic sequences like the train scene in Uncharted 2 were not planned during the development of the first game. Each subsequent game required new answers to keep the narrative fresh and the character's journey meaningful.

In contrast, Barlog shared his approach, which involves meticulously planning and connecting elements over long periods. He likened his method to a "Charlie Day crazy conspiracy board," admitting the stress and complexity of maintaining such long-term plans, especially with the involvement of hundreds of people across different projects.

"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," Barlog said. He acknowledged the challenges of aligning long-term plans with changing team dynamics and perspectives.

Druckmann responded with a focus on the immediate future, expressing a lack of confidence in predicting long-term success. "I just want to focus on the next five days in front of me, let alone 10 years down the line," he noted.

The discussion also covered their passion for their work. Druckmann shared an anecdote about directing Pedro Pascal for the The Last of Us TV show, highlighting the joy and stress of creative work. "It's the reason to wake up in the morning. It's why we do what we do, and despite all the negatives that come with it...you just kind of dismiss those things and say, 'Yeah, but I get to make games with the most talented people. How lucky are we?'"

The conversation took a reflective turn when Druckmann asked Barlog about the sufficiency of their careers, referencing the recent retirement of Ted Price. Barlog responded candidly, "Is it ever enough? The short answer's, no, it's never enough." He described the relentless drive to achieve more as a "demon of obsession" that pushes creators forward, even at personal cost.

Druckmann concluded with thoughts on his eventual departure from the industry, inspired by Jason Rubin's exit from Naughty Dog. He views his departure as an opportunity for others to rise and take on new challenges. "Eventually when I am done doing this, it will create a bunch of opportunities for people," he said, expressing a gradual withdrawal from day-to-day involvement in projects.

Barlog humorously concluded the talk, saying, "Very convincing. I’m going to retire," leaving the audience with a mix of laughter and reflection on the relentless pursuit of creative fulfillment.