In a notable change, The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann is exiting the series and will not be involved in the forthcoming third season. Druckmann, who co-developed The Last of Us with showrunner Craig Mazin and served as a writer and director for multiple episodes, announced his departure on Naughty Dog’s official Instagram. The Ankler was the first to cover the news.

“I’ve chosen to withdraw from my creative role in The Last of Us on HBO,” Druckmann mentioned. “With Season 2 finalized and prior to beginning work on Season 3, it’s the optimal moment to concentrate fully on Naughty Dog and its upcoming projects, including writing and directing our next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, alongside my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative.”

Druckmann reflected on his time with the show, describing it as “a career highlight,” and conveyed appreciation for collaborating with Craig Mazin, the cast, and crew in adapting The Last of Us Part I and Part II.

Mazin remarked on Druckmann’s exit, stating, “Collaborating with Neil to transform his exceptional work into a reality on HBO has been a creative dream. I’m eager to experience his next game and will persist in working with our skilled cast and crew to provide the show our audience anticipates. We are thankful to Neil and Halley Gross for trusting us with the story of The Last of Us Part II and to the millions who watch globally.”

Druckmann will continue to be credited as an executive producer on The Last of Us.