Sony has scrubbed an interview with Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann from its website after finding “several significant errors and inaccuracies”.
Last week Druckmann took part in an interview with Sony as part of the company’s corporate strategy meeting, and at the time, Druckmann was reported to have said that Naughty Dog’s next title could “redefine mainstream perceptions of gaming”, and that “AI is really going to revolutionise how content is being created”.
Soon after it was published, however, Druckmann took to social media to state that his words had been lost in translation, and as such his “words, context, and intent were unfortunately lost”.
Now, Sony has removed its interview with Druckmann completely. When following the original link today, the page has been replaced by a message that reads:
“In re-reviewing our recent interview with Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, we have found several significant errors and inaccuracies that don’t represent his perspective and values (including topics such as animation, writing, technology, AI, and future projects).
“We apologise to Neil for misrepresenting his words and for any negative impact this interview might have caused him and his team. In coordination with Naughty Dog and [Sony Interactive Entertainment], we have removed the interview.”
In short, don’t fuck with Druck.
Druckmann and Naughty Dog are currently working on an unannounced game, which the studio exec is both writing and directing. Some have speculated that this upcoming title will be a fantasy-themed release.
Additionally, Druckmann is working on the second season of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation, which is currently being filmed in Canada. Last week, it was announced that Jeffrey Wright had joined the show’s cast as Isaac.
The Last of Us season two is currently expected to release next year.