Naughty Dog won't confirm The Last of Us Part 3, but some fans have convinced themselves it's real anyway

gamesradar.com:

Naughty Dog probably isn't working on The Last of Us Part 3 just yet, but that hasn't stopped fans from convincing themselves that it is.

Earlier this week, The Last of Us director and Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann revealed that the studio's next game has already been decided but gave us no clue as to what it might be. 

Although it seems unlikely that we'll be getting The Last of Us Part 3 so soon after The Last of Us Part 2, fans have already begun theorizing that Druckmann's comments are just a cover-up and that Part 3 is actually already in development.

This Reddit (opens in new tab) post demonstrates the situation perfectly as the comments appear to be split between those convinced The Last of Us Part 3 is on the way, and those who are being a bit more pragmatic about the whole thing. 

"These are just PR statements," one fan commented under the post containing Druckmann's quotes, "I wouldn’t be worried about whether or not they are gonna make the game." Another user has also suggested similar adding: "It still feels like he's doing some deliberate misdirection." 

It's the same over on Twitter with several fans also theorizing that Druckmann pulling a fast one on fans: "Why do I get the feeling Neil Druckmann is messing with us?" one user (opens in new tab) wrote, "watch the 'next project' be TLOU3 and he's just phrasing it like this to tease us." 

It’s TLOU Part 3. No way it’s anything else. With the massive success of the show and the intrigue from the existing and NEW fan base, it will be one of the biggest games to ever exist. No way they pass that up.March 14, 2023

He doesn't say it's not Part 3 there....March 13, 2023

For every optimist though, there's also a realist - several of which can also be