When players think about how various Naughty Dog titles and their sequels are connected and evolve, it’s easy to assume that everything must be meticulously planned out in advance. After all, storylines and character arcs need to flow seamlessly from one game to the next, right? Well, not quite.

The studio has a reputation for creating complex stories. | Image Credit: Naughty Dog

As Neil Druckmann, head of Naughty Dog, revealed at the recent Dice Summit, he doesn’t plan sequels at all. In fact, he believes the process is so time-consuming that thinking about the next chapter while working on the current one is a distraction.

Naughty Dog’s unique approach to character and world-building Druckmann revealed how the studio approached the sequel. | Image Credit: Naughty Dog

Over the years, Naughty Dog has built a reputation for creating worlds and characters so deeply connected to players that every action,...