At the recent DICE Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada, Neil Druckmann of Naughty Dog and Cory Barlog from Sony Santa Monica engaged in a candid fireside chat about a topic that resonates deeply with creators: doubt. Over the course of an hour, the two delved into a range of subjects, from personal insecurities about their creative roles to the process of determining when an idea feels "right." The discussion also touched on handling character development across multiple games, with Druckmann offering an unexpected perspective on his approach to sequels.
When asked about character development in sequels, Druckmann shared an approach that might surprise fans of his work, which includes numerous sequels. He emphasized that he focuses entirely on the current game, not future installments. "That's a very easy question for me to answer, because I never think about multiple games, because the game in front of us is so all-consuming," he explained. Druckmann believes that considering sequels too early can jinx the creative process. "I just approach it as, 'what if I never get to do another one?'...I'm not saving some idea for the future. If there's a cool idea, I'm doing my best to get it into here."
Ten-year payoffs
Druckmann further elaborated that his method applies to all his projects, with the exception of the The Last of Us TV series, given its planned multiple seasons. For sequels, he revisits what's been done and identifies unresolved elements and potential character arcs. "And if I feel like the answer is, they can't go anywhere, then I go, 'I think we'll just kill them off,'" he half-jokingly added. His approach to the Uncharted series exemplifies this, where iconic moments like the train sequence in Uncharted 2 were not planned from the start but emerged as the series progressed.
In contrast, Barlog shared a different approach, likening his planning process to a "Charlie Day crazy conspiracy board." He finds immense satisfaction in connecting current work with plans made years prior. "It's just so magical, but it is absolutely, unequivocally the most unhealthy thing ever, because it is insanely stressful to try to fold and connect each of these pieces," Barlog admitted, acknowledging the challenges of maintaining long-term plans with changing team dynamics.
Druckmann responded, expressing his preference for focusing on immediate tasks over long-term planning. "I think for me that requires a level of confidence I just don't have...I just want to focus on the next five days in front of me, let alone 10 years down the line."
The reason to wake up
Throughout the conversation, Druckmann and Barlog explored various facets of their creative journeys, including their methods for validating ideas and their current views on their careers. Druckmann's passion for gaming shone through as he recounted an interaction with Pedro Pascal on the set of the The Last of Us TV show. "It's the reason to wake up in the morning. It's why I live and breathe," Druckmann said, echoing Pascal's sentiment about art. Despite the pressures and negativity that come with the job, Druckmann affirmed that his love for creating games with talented teams outweighs any challenges.
Turning the tables, Druckmann asked Barlog about the drive to continue creating despite reaching significant milestones. Barlog's response was introspective and candid: "Is it ever enough? The short answer's, no, it's never enough." He described the relentless pursuit of new goals as both amazing and torturous, driven by an internal "demon of obsession" that never allows him to fully appreciate his achievements.
Druckmann shared a more hopeful outlook, inspired by former Naughty Dog colleague Jason Rubin's perspective on stepping back to allow others to grow. He envisions a future where he can gradually reduce his involvement, creating opportunities for new talent to take the helm. "Eventually when I am done doing this, it will create a bunch of opportunities for people," Druckmann stated, looking forward to the possibilities his eventual departure might offer.
Barlog, in a light-hearted quip, concluded the discussion with, "Very convincing. I’m going to retire," leaving the audience with a mix of laughter and reflection on the relentless nature of creative pursuits.
