Naughty Dog is reportedly drawing inspiration from Elden Ring for its highly anticipated new franchise, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. When the game was first announced, the studio teased that it would feature “the deepest gameplay in Naughty Dog’s history.” Now, according to industry sources, the upcoming PS5-exclusive will incorporate elements of player freedom reminiscent of FromSoftware’s award-winning action RPG.
Industry Insider Hints at Elden Ring Influence
Ben Hanson, founder of gaming media outlet MinnMax, recently claimed that Intergalactic will emphasize greater player choice and exploration, taking cues from Elden Ring.
“Before the reveal trailer, I had hinted that Naughty Dog’s next game was heavily inspired by a title known for player freedom. That game was Elden Ring,” Hanson stated on the latest episode of The MinnMax Show.
He elaborated that while the game is set on a single planet, its structure will encourage uncovering the world’s history through exploration, rather than following a strictly linear path.
Naughty Dog’s Creative Shift
Following Intergalactic’s reveal, studio president Neil Druckmann described it as the company’s “wildest, most creative story yet.” He assured fans that while the game will retain the emotional, character-driven narratives the studio is known for, it will also introduce a deeper level of gameplay than ever before.
Prior to the game’s official announcement at The Game Awards 2024, Hanson had cited inside sources claiming Intergalactic would feature a significant level of player freedom, a departure from Naughty Dog’s more structured storytelling in Uncharted and The Last of Us.
Druckmann himself has previously expressed admiration for games that tell their stories through gameplay and environmental exploration, rather than relying heavily on cinematics.
“I’ve been intrigued by games like Elden Ring and Inside, where storytelling happens organically through exploration and gameplay rather than through cutscenes,” Druckmann told The Washington Post in 2023.
A New Direction for Naughty Dog
While past Naughty Dog titles like Uncharted and The Last of Us were primarily third-person, action-adventure games with a strong focus on shooting mechanics, Intergalactic appears to be taking a different approach.
From what was shown in the reveal trailer, the game will incorporate melee combat, with the protagonist wielding a sword, suggesting a more varied combat system compared to the studio’s previous titles.
Additionally, the game’s setting—a remote planet—will emphasize exploration, which aligns with Elden Ring’s open-ended approach to world discovery. Players will likely piece together the planet’s history through observation and exploration, rather than following a rigid narrative path.
Release and Development Status
Though Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet has been in development since 2020, Naughty Dog has not yet announced a release date. However, it has been confirmed that the game will launch exclusively for the PlayStation 5.
As Naughty Dog continues to refine its ambitious new IP, it will be interesting to see how the studio balances its signature storytelling with the freedom and depth of gameplay that Elden Ring offers.
