WithUncharted 4: A Thief’s End, Naughty Dog brought Nathan Drake’s story to a satisfying conclusion. But just becauseNathan Drake’s story is over, it doesn’t mean that theUnchartedfranchise as a whole needs to come to an end. With the added horsepower and unique capabilities of the PlayStation 5, anUncharted 5seems to make more sense than ever before, and if one ever happens, it has an obvious choice for its main character.This article will have SPOILERS for theUnchartedvideo game franchise so far.
Uncharted 5has not been confirmed by Naughty Dog or Sony at the time of this writing, but both companies clearly have interest in the franchise. After all,Naughty Dog recently expressed a desire to return to theUncharteduniverseone day,Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collectionjust launched on PS5 with a PC release still to come, and Sony will be premiering theUnchartedfilm adaptation in theaters come February 18. With all the attentionUnchartedis still getting five years after the last new game release, one would think that anUncharted 5is definitely in the cards.
RELATED:Uncharted PS5 Performance Video Compares It to PS4 Version
IfUncharted 5does happen, it will likely need to feature a new playable character. Naughty Dog concluded Nathan Drake’s story withUncharted 4: A Thief’s End, and so bringing him back for another game may cheapen that ending. Some have suggested that Nathan and Elena’s daughter should be the next protagonist of theUnchartedseries, but perhaps a more fitting choice would be Chloe Frazer instead.
Chloe Frazer first appeared inUncharted 2: Among Thieves, and has had a major presence in the franchise ever since. Naughty Dog even had enough confidence in the Chloe Frazer character to give her the starring role inUncharted: The Lost Legacy, a bite-sized standalone expansion forUncharted 4that sees Frazer team up with Nadine Ross and eventually even Nathan’s brother Sam Drake.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacyis proof that Chloe has what it takes to carry anUnchartedgame, and it would be great to see her given a larger stage.Uncharted: The Lost Legacybeing bundled withUncharted 4in theUncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collectionmay drum up even more interest to see Frazer return in a new game, and it would definintely be interesting to see where the story would take her next.
Featuring Chloe Frazer as the main character of the hypotheticalUncharted 5would open the door for characters from past games to appear. The supporting cast in theUnchartedgames have been just as important as the main hero, and since Frazer has connections to some popular characters from pastUnchartedgames, her being the protagonist ofUncharted 5would give them the perfect excuse to return without it feeling shoehorned-in.
Characters like the aforementioned Nadine Ross and Sam Drake could prove to be the perfect supporting characters for Chloe Frazer, as that wayUncharted 5could build on what was established in bothThe Lost LegacyandUncharted 4. Not only that, but the inclusion of Sam Drake would ensure that there was a direct connection to Nathan Drake, which could help moreUnchartedfans accept a potential change in the franchise’s main character.
And maybe even Nathan Drake could make an appearance in a newUnchartedgame. WhileNathan Drake actor Nolan Northhasn’t heard anything about anUnchartedsequel, maybe Naughty Dog could bring him back for a quick appearance in the hypotheticalUncharted 5. With Nathan’s treasure hunting days behind him, perhaps he catches wind of a new adventure and passes it along to his brother, who in turn reunites the team of himself, Nadine Ross, and Chloe Frazer as seen inUncharted: The Lost Legacy.
It’s also possible that Naughty Dog never bothers making anotherUnchartedgame, as unlikely as that may seem. Naughty Dog’s next project has not been announced at the time of this writing, but reports indicate that the studio is busy at work on aLast of Usremake for PlayStation 5 as well as the online multiplayer component forThe Last of Us 2. Whether or not there’s any truth to those claims remains to be seen, but fans should find out in the months ahead.
And if Naughty Dog doesn’t make the nextUnchartedgame, maybe another studio will be given the reigns instead. Unverified reports have claimed that anewUnchartedgame may be in development at Bend Studio, the developer that most recently put out the open world zombie gameDays Gone. Bend Studio has worked on theUnchartedfranchise in the past, developing the well-received PlayStation Vita spin-offUncharted: Golden Abyss, so it would make sense for Sony to trust the studio withUncharted.
The future of theUnchartedfranchise remains uncertain, but in the meantime, fans can check outUncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collectionon PS5 and watch theUnchartedmovie with Tom Hollandwhen it hits theaters on February 18.
Uncharted 5has not been announced at the time of this writing.
