Troy Baker says he would be “on board with anything” if Naughty Dog returns to The Last of Us, including a Joel and Tommy prequel or a different new story, but The Last of Us Part 3 has not been announced.
Image: IGDB
Troy Baker says he is ready if Naughty Dog calls
Troy Baker has signaled fresh interest in returning to The Last of Us, telling Insider Gaming that he would be “on board with anything” if Neil Druckmann and Naughty Dog find a place for him. For players waiting on The Last of Us Part 3, that is a meaningful actor-side signal, not an announcement of a Naughty Dog sequel.
As reported by GamingBolt and Push Square, Baker was responding to a pitch for another The Last of Us project, specifically a prequel set during the early years of the cordyceps pandemic and centered on Joel and Tommy. Baker said there is “beautiful” mystery in what happened between the brothers during the 20-year gap before the first game, adding that the timeline offers “beautiful lore” that could form a foundation for a story.
Baker also made clear he is not only attached to that one idea. He said he trusts Naughty Dog and suggested there may be “a whole other story” the audience is not thinking about. His position, as quoted by Push Square, is that Naughty Dog should decide whether the series looks back, revisits something, or continues to reinvent itself.
What is confirmed, and what is not
The confirmed news is limited but clear: Troy Baker, the actor associated with Joel in The Last of Us games, has publicly said he would be there “day one” for more The Last of Us, either as a performer if there is a role for him or as a player with a controller in hand.
What is not confirmed is more important for expectations. Naughty Dog has not announced The Last of Us Part 3 in the source material. Sony has not announced a release window, platforms, price, cast, plot, or production status for a new mainline sequel. Baker’s comments do not confirm that Joel will return, that a prequel is in development, or that the next game will center on Ellie, Abby, Tommy, or any other existing character.
Push Square notes that a potential The Last of Us Part 3 has been hinted at in the past, but also says there is “nothing concrete” right now. The same report points out that Naughty Dog is currently working on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, a different new game.
Why the story direction matters for survival players
For this series, the question of “when” is not just lore housekeeping. A Joel The Last of Us prequel set near the start of the outbreak would change the pressure around every encounter. The early cordyceps years suggest a world still collapsing, with social rules breaking down and Joel and Tommy’s relationship under strain. That kind of setup could make survival feel rawer and more desperate, especially if Naughty Dog leaned into scarce resources, unstable alliances, and the fear of not yet understanding the infected world.
A continuation after Part 2 would carry a different weight. It would ask what remains after revenge, grief, and survival have already carved through the cast. Baker’s comments leave room for both possibilities, but they also leave room for The Last of Us new story to move away from expected paths entirely.
That is the practical takeaway from the Troy Baker The Last of Us comments: his interest keeps the door open for Joel-related material, but it does not narrow Naughty Dog’s choices. A flashback, a prequel, a cameo, or no Joel at all remain speculation until Naughty Dog says otherwise.
What players should do with this information
If you are waiting for The Last of Us Part 3, there is nothing to buy, preorder, wishlist, or upgrade for yet. No storefront listing, platform slate, performance target, PC requirement, edition structure, or upgrade path is confirmed in the provided reports.
The safest read is to treat Baker’s comments as enthusiasm from a key actor, not as a development update. If Naughty Dog returns to The Last of Us after Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Push Square expects it would likely be years before players see it, but that is an expectation rather than a dated announcement.
For now, the signal is atmospheric rather than concrete: one of the franchise’s defining voices is willing to step back into the dark if Naughty Dog opens the door. Whether that door leads to Joel and Tommy’s past, Ellie and Abby’s future, or a new corner of the infected world remains unannounced.