Summary
Unchartedhas never had the most original premise. Rather, the reason why the treasure-hunter IP has lasted as long as it has is because ofNaughty Dog’s backbone of rich storytelling.
Unchartedtechnically has eight titles in total, but of those eight there is a digital card game and a mobile-only game that aren’t on the same level of quality or relevance as Naughty Dog’s mainline installments and standalone expansion,The Lost Legacy, as well as Bend’s PSV spin-off,Golden Abyss.
Those eight also include re-release collections: Bluepoint’sNathan Drake Collectiontrilogy of remasters, andNaughty Dog and Iron Galaxy’sLegacy of Thieves CollectionbundlingA Thief’s EndandLost Legacytogether. Therefore, once boiled down to its most important games, six are left as pillars of theUnchartedfranchise. A newUnchartedwould likely become the fifth mainline entry unless it was another standalone entry or spin-off, but regardless it would need to come at the cost of Naughty Dog truly evaluating the series to determine whether another single-player game would be what’s best for it or not.
Naughty Dog Needs Uncharted to Prove It Can Let Go and Move on
There isn’t any concrete proof stating that a live-action adaptation is an obligation to concentrate on one IP over another, but Naughty Dog has two now that might end up influencing its future workload. After how successful HBO’sThe Last of Uswas in its first season, it would only make sense for Naughty Dog to draft out a third game if for no other reason than to keep that partnership thriving wellafter a second season adaptsThe Last of Us Part 2.
That said,Unchartedonly recently received its own live-action adaptation. While the Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg-led popcorn flick seems destined to secure a follow-up, it is uncertain if Naughty Dog will be inspired to perpetuate the IP on its own with another game to piggyback on that excitement.
Besides the persistent remasters it churns out, though, Naughty Dog has never seemed driven solely by what endeavors would make it successful—if that was so, it surely would have put out aLast of Us Part 2much sooner than it did.Unchartedis now in an odd predicament where it’s sort of in retirement and collecting dust since Nathan Drake’s story was bookended andChloe Frazer helmed her own well-deservedUnchartedhalf-sequel.
Naughty Dog May Not Have Anywhere Left to Chart, and That’s Okay
Because the series revolved around Nolan North’s terrific portrayal of Drake for so long it might not make sense to continue the franchise in a new direction purely for the sake of it continuing. LikeThe Last of Us, Naughty Dog can shelve it for as long as it wants until something worthwhile can come from it.
A prequel would need to contend with Drake lore, inevitably and retroactively causing continuity errors that ripple throughout the narrative; spin-offs would need to have authentic stories with characters who can lead the franchise for longer than a single entry; and Naughty Dog would need to iterate on the IPto not have anUncharted 5feel like a facsimile of games that are nearing a decade’s worth or more of age.
Remake Rumors Could Mark the Start of a Whole New Uncharted Era
Remakes of the originalUnchartedgames would be interesting and could achieve the same effect asThe Last of Us Part 1, bringing their graphical fidelity up to par withA Thief’s EndandTheLost Legacy, but doing so wouldn’t make much sense if Naughty Dog doesn’t plan to debut a new chapter at some point. There’s a rumor floating around right now ofanUncharted: Drake’s Fortuneremake, for example, and if true it would insinuate that anUncharted 5is certainly plausible. Otherwise, Naughty Dog may have foreseen thatUnchartedhad been stretched as far as it could be and chose the most optimal time to bow out.
Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End
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Winner of over 150 Game of the Year awards.Several years after his last adventure, retired fortune hunter Nathan Drake, is forced back into the world of thieves. Fate comes calling when Sam, Drake’s presumed dead brother, resurfaces seeking his help to save his own life and offering an adventure Drake can’t resist. Drake’s greatest adventure will test his physical limits, his resolve, and ultimately what he’s willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves.On the hunt for Captain Henry Avery’s long-lost treasure, Sam and Drake set off to find Libertalia, the pirate utopia deep in the forests of Madagascar – leading to a journey around the globe through jungle isles, far-flung cities, and snow capped peaks on the search for Avery’s fortune.
