The Last of Us Part 1 Easter egg might hint at Naughty Dog's next title

Naughty Dog's recently released stellar reimagining of the original The Last of Us for the PlayStation 5 has fans in awe with a new discovery that might hint at the studio's upcoming fantasy game. Screenshots shared on social media show a selection of fantasy-style images attached to a pinboard, including a unicorn-like creature.

Apparently, similar pictures were spotted in the developer's previous title, The Last of Us Part 2, which initially sparked discussion among fans regarding the studio's new project.

Naughty Dog themselves have not shed any light on the recent discovery. However, the community remains adamant that these pictures were left in the game as an indication towards the beloved studio's next title for the PlayStation 5.

The Last of Us Part 1 was only released a few days ago, exclusively for the PlayStation 5 with a later PC release planned. Fans are already dissecting every square inch of the game for clues left by the developers regarding their next title.

---

Players might have unearthed clues in The Last of Us Part 1 regarding Naughty Dog's new fantasy IP

On Twitter, a fan account named "Naughty Dog Central" pointed out that players have grown suspicious of a collection of artwork displayed in The Last of Us Part 1 which depicts a fantastical setting that might hint towards developer Naughty Dog's next video game project.

The screenshots in the tweet show a section in the recently released The Last of Us remake, where Joel encounters a wall full of illustrations and pictures that look to be of a fantasy nature. This has got fans thinking that it could be a clear indication of the studio's upcoming new IP.

A similar illustration could also be seen in The Last of Us Part 2 during the Abby section, depicting a woman with a unicorn-like creature in a fantastical setting. This is the one that initially ignited the discussion among fans regarding the Californian studio's next game.

At the start of 2022, a series of fantasy-themed artworks were shared by a concept artist at Naughty Dog, with a caption that read, "inspired by the new game," which got fans theorizing on the studio's next project.

The rumor was later dispelled by the artist, revealing the artwork to be inspired by Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla. However, the studio never entirely dismissed the notion of them working on a brand new IP for the PlayStation 5.

There is a chance that the pictures are simply reused assets that carried over to the remake from The Last of Us Part 2, since both the games are built on the same proprietary engine.

However, Naughty Dog is known for placing clues in their games that point towards their upcoming projects and new IPs, such as the newspaper clipping in Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, which hinted at The Last of Us.

Naughty Dog are no stranger to fantasy-themed settings, despite most of their modern games being fairly grounded in reality and barely featuring anything fantastical. Titles like the Jak and Daxter series, although they were not purely fantasy-themed, had elements of that nature. The studio even dabbled in fantasy RPG territory, with their 1992 title, Rings of Power, released for SEGA Genesis.

Even the Uncharted games had their fair share of fantastical elements such as the supernatural elements in Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and even the sequel that followed.

Although it is not yet known what the studio is working on at this point, fans are hopeful for a new IP of a fantasy origin. It would surely be a spectacle to behold coming from developers who are masters at creating immersive and visually breathtaking gaming experiences.