When The Last of Us first launched in 2013, the game offered an interesting story in a compelling world, leaving many fans wanting a sequel. 7 years later, The Last of Us Part II released, seemingly completing Joel and Ellie’s story arcs. That being said, it appears as though Naughty Dog may still have a lot more planned for the world of The Last of Us, as the game’s composer has claimed that Part II was “just the beginning.”

The nominees for the 2020 Game Awards were recently announced, revealing that The Last of Us Part II received the most nominations of any game, with 10 nominations in 9 categories. To celebrate this, the game’s composer, Gustavo Santaolalla, congratulated the team on Twitter, saying “Happy and grateful! #TheLastOfUsPartII nominated by @thegameawards in 9 categories, among them Best Score and Music.”

Interestingly however, Santaolalla concluded by saying “Thanks @Naughty_Dog and @Neil_Druckmann for inviting me to this adventure. It’s just the beginning!” to which the creator of The Game Awards himself, Geoff Keighley, took note of the closing sentence.

Happy and grateful! ❤️ #TheLastOfUsPartII nominated by @thegameawards in 9 categories, among them Best Score and Music 🎮🎶 Sign in to vote! Thanks @Naughty_Dog and @Neil_Druckmann for inviting me to this adventure. It’s just the beginning!@PlayStation https://t.co/qkkxZ7vveA pic.twitter.com/dVHNprJpZR

— Gustavo Santaolalla (@santaolallaok) November 19, 2020

What this currently means is unknown. As mentioned, though the story of Ellie and Joel has concluded, there is still so much to explore in the world of The Last of Us. That being said, Despite being highly successful both critically and commercially, Naughty Dog are known for putting the integrity of their art before financial gain, allowing franchises to rest when they feel it is appropriate to do so.

We already know that a multiplayer game is on the way, likely not dissimilar to the Factions mode from the first game. It’ll be interesting to see what Naughty Dog is working on following that, and if they will indeed return to The Last of Us, or if they will allow it to simmer as they work on a new IP. Time will tell.

KitGuru says: Would you like another The Last of Us game? What do you think Naughty Dog is working on? What new genre would you like to see the studio tackle? Let us know down below.

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