Uncharted: The Lost Legacy does not mark the end of the series, according to creative director Shaun Escayg, despite the fact that series star Nathan Drake is not a part of the standalone game.
The Lost Legacy, a spinoff that continues the story of Uncharted, features two female protagonists, namely fan favorite Chloe Frazer and Nadine Ross.
Where Is Nathan Drake?
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy started development as DLC for Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, but it eventually evolved into a standalone game. Headlining the adventure are Frazer and Ross, both of which have connections to Drake as former love interest and enemy, respectively.
The exclusion of Drake from Uncharted: The Lost Legacy led to speculation that the franchise was coming to an end, especially after Naughty Dog copresident Evan Wells previously said that it is unlikely that the developer will create another Uncharted game. Lead game designer Robert Cogburn added that Uncharted games are hard to make, with the studio struggling on how to make them even greater.
With the story of Drake finished at the end of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, is Uncharted: The Lost Legacy the last gasp for the popular franchise?
Uncharted Franchise Will Live On
In an interview with Eurogamer, Escayg revealed Uncharted: The Lost Legacy likely does not mark the end of the series.
"I wouldn't say it's the end," Escayg said, adding that the thieving world is a huge one and there are so many characters that can be tapped for the series. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy would serve as an example of that, with no trace of Drake while Frazer and Ross take the spotlight.
Escayg added that, before the development team settled on focusing on a story featuring Frazer and Ross, it was also exploring plot lines for Victor Sullivan, Drake's long-time friend and mentor, and Charlie Cutter, another colleague who suffers from severe claustrophobia. The team found that it was always Chloe Frazer who jumped out, pushing them to focus on her character for Uncharted: The Lost Legacy.
Uncharted 4: A Thief's End wrapped up the story of Drake and fellow treasure hunter and now his wife, Elena Fisher in a satisfying manner, causing many gamers to wonder how the series will continue before Uncharted: The Lost Legacy was announced last year.
It now looks like that the Uncharted series will be living on, as Escayg highly doubts that the franchise has come to an end.
Other 'Uncharted' News
In the interview, Escayg also discussed Naughty Dog's decision to set the price of Uncharted: The Lost Legacy somewhere between a DLC and a full game. Despite the price, he describes the game as a "100 percent Naughty Dog game" complete with massive environments and a focus on the characters of Frazer and Ross.
Escayg also confirmed that Naughty Dog has no control or input over the planned Uncharted movie, which has cast Tom Holland as a young Nathan Drake in what will be a prequel to the Uncharted games.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is set to launch on Aug. 22 exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
