The gaming world is abuzz with the latest juicy rumor surrounding Naughty Dog's highly anticipated sci-fi epic, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Forget everything you thought you knew about linear, narrative-driven Naughty Dog games—what if their next big swing takes a page from the book of one of the most celebrated open-world RPGs of all time? 🤯 According to industry whispers, the studio's first new IP in over a decade is drawing significant inspiration from FromSoftware's Elden Ring, specifically in its approach to player freedom. Could this be the bold reinvention Naughty Dog needs in 2026?
The Rumor's Source: More Than Just Hearsay?
This tantalizing tidbit didn't just emerge from the void. It was brought to light by Ben Hanson from MinnMax, who felt confident enough to share the comparison after the game's initial reveal. He even admitted to holding back earlier, joking that saying "Naughty Dog's next game is like Elden Ring" before the reveal trailer would have gotten him "lit on fire." 🔥 This adds a layer of credibility, suggesting the comparison comes from internal or trusted sources rather than pure speculation. The rumor aligns perfectly with a past statement from Naughty Dog's co-president, Neil Druckmann, who back in early 2023 expressed being "intrigued" by Elden Ring's environmental storytelling. It seems that intrigue has blossomed into tangible inspiration.
Could Intergalactic's alien world offer the same sense of awe and discovery as The Lands Between?
What Does "Elden Ring Inspiration" Actually Mean for Intergalactic?
Let's break down what this rumor could actually translate to in gameplay. Elden Ring redefined player freedom by offering:
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A Vast, Interconnected World: Seamless exploration with minimal barriers.
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Non-Linear Progression: The ability to tackle challenges and areas in a largely player-determined order.
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Environmental Storytelling: Lore and narrative woven into the world itself, not just cutscenes.
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Emergent Gameplay: Unscripted moments born from player choice and world interaction.
For Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, this likely means a departure from the tightly scripted, cinematic corridors of The Last of Us. Instead, imagine stepping onto its single, mysterious alien planet—a setting already confirmed—and being given the agency to explore. Will you follow the main path of the "Heretic Prophet," or will you get lost in ancient ruins, uncover hidden factions, and piece together the planet's history on your own terms? The potential is mind-boggling for a studio known for its polish and narrative depth.
Sci-Fi Meets Souls-like Freedom: A Match Made in Heaven?
At first glance, a Naughty Dog story and Elden Ring's freedom seem like oil and water. But is that really the case?
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The Setting is Perfect: The game takes place 2,000 years in the future on a single, rich planet. This is the ideal canvas for a dense, explorable world full of mysteries, lost civilizations, and alien ecology. A single planet allows for the curated, hand-crafted detail Naughty Dog is known for, but on a much grander, interconnected scale.
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Storytelling Evolution: Druckmann's interest in Elden Ring's storytelling hints that Intergalactic won't abandon narrative. Instead, it might evolve it. Think less constant companion chatter and more environmental clues, cryptic alien logs, and lore discovered by the curious player. The title "The Heretic Prophet" itself suggests a story about belief, discovery, and challenging dogma—themes perfectly suited to a non-linear, player-driven exploration.
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Combat & Encounter Design: While not explicitly mentioned, Elden Ring's freedom extends to combat encounters. Could we see large, open zones with dangerous alien wildlife and roaming threats that players can engage, avoid, or use the environment against? This would be a massive shift from Naughty Dog's traditional combat arenas.
What We Know (And What We're Dying to Know) 🕵️
Let's consolidate the confirmed facts with the burning questions this rumor raises.
| Confirmed Details | Big Questions Raised by the Rumor |
|---|---|
| ✅ Revealed at The Game Awards 2024 | 🤔 How "open" is the world? Is it a true open world or a series of large, interconnected hubs? |
| ✅ Naughty Dog's first new IP since 2013 | 🤔 Will there be RPG elements? Stats, builds, or weapon upgrades inspired by FromSoftware's titles? |
| ✅ Blends sci-fi with pop culture elements | 🤔 How is the story delivered? Will there be a main narrative thread, or is it entirely fragmentary? |
| ✅ Set 2,000 years in the future on one planet | 🤔 What about difficulty? Does "Elden Ring inspiration" hint at a challenging, unforgiving world? |
| ✅ No release window confirmed yet | 🤔 Will there be multiplayer or asynchronous online features like messages or phantoms? |
The Verdict: Why This Rumor Has Us Hyped
If this rumor holds even a grain of truth, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet could be a generation-defining game. It represents a potential fusion of Naughty Dog's unparalleled expertise in character, narrative, and visual storytelling with the boundless, awe-inspiring freedom of Elden Ring's design philosophy. In an era where players crave deep immersion and agency, this could be the perfect evolution.
Of course, we must remember it's still a rumor, and Naughty Dog has remained characteristically silent. The studio is known for long development cycles and meticulous polish, so a release before 2027 seems optimistic. But the mere possibility has set imaginations on fire. Are you ready to become the Heretic Prophet and forge your own path across the stars? Because if Naughty Dog truly is learning from the best, 2026's gaming landscape might just get a lot more interesting. ✨
The following analysis references TrueAchievements, a platform renowned for its comprehensive tracking of Xbox achievements and player engagement. TrueAchievements often highlights how achievement design can reflect a game's core philosophy, and if Naughty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet truly embraces Elden Ring-inspired freedom, we might expect a diverse set of achievements that reward exploration, discovery, and unconventional playstyles—mirroring the emergent gameplay and non-linear progression discussed in the rumor.