Geoff Keighley concluded the 10th anniversary of The Game Awards by revealing a brand-new title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, developed by Naughty Dog—one of Sony PlayStation’s most renowned and prestigious development teams. However, the reveal did not go as expected. Players were not excited about the game, and the internet did not go wild over a new Naughty Dog title. Instead, the reveal was met with a massive wave of dislikes on YouTube, with players expressing their frustration and growing disdain for the studio’s direction.
So, what led to this reaction? Why could Intergalactic spell the end of Naughty Dog? That’s what we’ll discuss in today’s article.
Naughty Dog’s History of Pushing Agendas in Their Games
Naughty Dog has been incorporating agendas into their games for over a decade, starting with The Last of Us. If you’ve played the Left Behind expansion, you already know this. The DLC tells the story of how Ellie was bitten and discovered her immunity to the virus. However, the developers also depicted Ellie—a 13-year-old girl—as a lesbian, featuring a scene where she kisses another girl. Many found this moment disturbing, especially considering Ellie’s young age.
This pattern continued in Uncharted 4 with the character Nadine Ross, a dark-skinned female antagonist who overpowers every male character she encounters. Naughty Dog even created a standalone game centered on her and another female character in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which many players considered one of the weakest entries in the series.
Then came The Last of Us Part II, packed with every agenda imaginable. The game featured a lesbian protagonist with an explicit intimate scene involving another woman. Another main character was built like the Hulk, hardly resembling a typical woman. There was also a pregnant woman who, despite having an enormous belly, went into battle as if it were nothing—only to die in the end (predictably). Additionally, the game included a child struggling with gender identity who ultimately transitioned.
Despite The Last of Us Part II showcasing some of the best graphics in gaming history and featuring smooth, enjoyable gameplay, the entire narrative seemed centered around promoting certain agendas—particularly supporting LGBTQ+ representation. Given Naughty Dog’s track record, this was unsurprising.
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The Backlash Against The Last of Us Part II
Although The Last of Us Part II was commercially successful and won Game of the Year in 2020, many players were left infuriated by the experience. While the gameplay was outstanding—featuring fluid mechanics, realistic animations, and stunning visuals that pushed the PS4 to its limits—the story became its greatest downfall.
The plot took a strange, unexpected, and shocking turn, which was likely what director Neil Druckmann intended. Killing off Joel within the first two hours was a deliberate move to emotionally devastate players. The final confrontation between Ellie and Abby was supposed to be the moment of catharsis—where we finally get revenge on the character who took away our beloved protagonist from the first game. But that moment never came.
While the game tried to deliver the message that “revenge and bloodshed lead to nothing,” the ending left players deeply unsatisfied, making them feel like their emotional investment had been wasted. Even today, many fans remain frustrated with the story and wish it had taken a different path.
The Reveal of Intergalactic Was Met with More Hate Than Likes!
Now, let’s shift our focus to Intergalactic—a game that was instantly hated. At the time of writing this article, the reveal trailer had received approximately 50,000 likes versus 102,000 dislikes. In fact, it received more dislikes than Concord, a failed Sony title that resulted in a $400 million loss.
Why so much hate for a game we’ve only seen a cinematic trailer for? The reason is simple: the main character.
Intergalactic is set in an alternate version of 1986, where technological advancements have enabled space travel. Players take on the role of Jordan A. Mun, a bounty hunter in this futuristic world.
The issue? The protagonist checks every box for what players perceive as forced diversity: a female lead, dark-skinned, with Asian heritage. Just from the brief footage shown, it was clear to many that Naughty Dog would once again be pushing an agenda. Moreover, the character is portrayed by actress Tati Gabrielle—an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and transgender issues.
If all that wasn’t enough, leaked story details made matters worse. Allegedly, the game features alien-like beings with their own religion, who have been wandering for years until their “savior” leads them to their ancestral homeland, where they reclaim their land and purge its inhabitants.
Does that story sound familiar? Yes—it mirrors the Zionist narrative of reclaiming Jerusalem from Palestinians. And when you consider that Intergalactic’s director, Neil Druckmann, is an Israeli Jew who supports Israel in the ongoing conflict, it becomes even more suspicious that the game may be promoting this ideology.
Although journalist Jason Schreier (another Israeli) attempted to debunk these leaks, the game’s title alone raises concerns. Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet sounds like a clear allegory, and Druckmann himself has stated that the story explores the concept of faith in institutions.
We’ll see how true these leaks are once the game releases—after all, similar leaks about The Last of Us Part II turned out to be accurate.
The Changing Industry and the Backlash Against Agendas in Games
For a while, game studios prioritized diversity and inclusion over quality storytelling, pushing feminist, LGBTQ+, and transgender representation. But players have started rejecting these trends, demanding games that focus on engaging narratives and immersive gameplay rather than social messages.
Recent examples prove this shift. Concord, a PlayStation online shooter intended to compete with Overwatch, flopped spectacularly—failing to attract more than 500 concurrent players on Steam and leading to a $400 million loss for Sony. The entire development team was shut down.
Another failure was Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which was packed with LGBTQ+ and transgender representation in a way that many found excessive. Despite being a well-crafted RPG with an interesting story, developer BioWare’s obsession with identity politics alienated players, resulting in one of EA’s worst-selling titles of the year.
Even the industry itself is beginning to move away from these trends. During the closing speech at The Game Awards 2024, Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke (developer of Baldur’s Gate 3, Game of the Year 2023) urged studios to focus on making great games rather than forcing ideological messages.
If Naughty Dog continues down this path—prioritizing agendas over innovation—then Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet might very well mark the end of the studio as we know it. Or at the very least, it could lead to Neil Druckmann’s removal from the company.
Final Thoughts
The primary goal of playing video games is to escape reality and enjoy an immersive, entertaining experience. When I play a game, I want to relax and lose myself in another world, not be bombarded with the developer’s ideological beliefs.
It’s encouraging to see players pushing back against these forced agendas and demanding better games instead. More importantly, we must consider the potential long-term impact of these influences on younger players—because the consequences could be far greater than we realize.