According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Naughty Dog’s new sci-fi IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, is not expected to launch before 2027. This came after CD Projekt RED confirmed at the end of 2026 that it wouldn’t be seeing the light between now and then. In the ResetEra forum, users remembered that Schreier had previously indicated the two titles, which were both announced during the Game Awards 2024, were in the very early stages of development and nowhere near being released.
Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet Unlikely Before 2027, Says Jason Schreier
He later reaffirmed this, stating, “I’m pretty sure I said they were both going to be very early teases. Neither of those games will be out next year.” While no official release window was provided for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Game Director Neil Druckmann hinted at a long wait. He acknowledged that the project is still evolving, saying, “We still have a ways to go… I have a theory, I have an idea, but it’s still evolving and changing as we are making it.”
Even if the game is released in 2027, that would be seven years since Naughty Dog’s last game, The Last of Us Part II. It was widely reported that the studio had nearly finished with The Last of Us Online before ultimately deciding to cancel it, citing concerns over post-launch support requirements. If it wasn’t ultimately cancelled, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet could have been delayed even further.
Similarly, The Witcher IV will be CD Projekt RED’s first major release since Cyberpunk 2077 in late 2020. Although nothing was canceled by the studio, they spent years troubleshooting ways to make Cyberpunk 2077 better, along with building the Phantom Liberty expansion. And they made the switch from their proprietary RED Engine to Unreal Engine 5. These lengthy development cycles underscore the increasing complexity of AAA video game development. With most major projects now taking five to seven years, the stakes have never been higher — one flop can wipe out a studio.
FAQs
When is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet releasing?
It’s expected no earlier than 2027, according to Jason Schreier.
Why is the game taking so long?
It’s still in early development, and Naughty Dog canceled The Last of Us Online, which shifted priorities.
