Intergalactic Director Isn’t Phased by Negative Reaction to Protagonist

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Ever since Naughty Dog revealed the first trailer for their upcoming game, Intergalactic, there’s been a bit of backlash, particularly concerning the protagonist, bounty hunter Jordan A. Munn, portrayed by Tati Gabrielle. In a recent chat with Last Stand Media, director Neil Druckmann addressed this controversy and shared that the studio isn’t swayed by it. Here’s a peek at the interview below. (As a fan, I can’t wait to see how this unfolds!)

Speaking as a passionate admirer, during the interview, Druckmann shared that despite the ongoing debate, Naughty Dog remains committed to its core mission: crafting an exceptional game. In his own words, “I’m not sure I have much to contribute to this discussion,” he admitted. “The truth is, there are certain media-related events happening currently that we need to largely disregard, stay true to our convictions, and continue doing what we genuinely believe in.” He emphasized that this is the approach he believes artists should embody.

Following Gabrielle’s discussion about undergoing intense training by Druckmann for her portrayal of Jordan, due to the backlash and controversy surrounding Naughty Dog following the launch of The Last of Us Part 2, Gabrielle expressed, “There was a tremendous amount of hostility towards me because I’m a woman, because I’m a woman of color, because my head was shaved – things I didn’t even realize were issues initially.

I’ve stepped away from the current social media trends for this particular reason, but when I did, Neil [Druckmann] reassured me by saying, ‘Disregard it. Regardless, us two will create something magnificent. We’ll produce something that we can be proud of.’

Back in December 2024, the game “Intergalactic” was first introduced during The Game Awards with a trailer. Although the trailer didn’t provide extensive gameplay insights, it did offer a peek into the character of Jordan and the game’s futuristic environment.

Since then, Druckmann has expressed a desire to delve into diverse topics through Intergalactic, such as religion, belief systems, and solitude. To facilitate this, he has hinted that players will find few allies during their playthrough, unlike other Naughty Dog games which usually provide at least one friendly character for assistance.

Druckmann stated, “I had a desire to create a game that explores themes of faith and solitude. In our past projects, there’s usually someone by your side. This time, I wanted to immerse players in an environment where they feel lost and unsure about the events unfolding.

Druckmann expressed a desire for players to experience emotions similar to those Jordan might feel, particularly when unraveling the game’s enigmas, such as the puzzling characters encountered in Sempiria.

Druckmann shared insights into the questions he intends players to ponder: “Who are these inhabitants? What is their past?” and “Given that no one has been heard from on this planet for 600 years, if your aim is to leave it, you must unravel its mysteries first.

The game titled “Intergalactic” is currently being worked on for the PlayStation 5. At this moment, there isn’t a confirmed release date, and speculations suggest that it may not be launched in the upcoming year.

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2025-05-22 19:42