Developer Naughty Dog has advertised a plethora of open job positions, teasing “something very cool.”
Co-President Neil Druckmann shared the vacancies on Twitter, which were all advertised this month.
Come work with us! We’re making something very cool! https://t.co/ZGU6W3cAKU
— Dr. Uckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) January 14, 2021
Perusing some of the positions reveals that Naughty Dog is placing an emphasis on graphical fidelity and realism. One position suggests that the studio’s next game will include hand-to-hand combat. A description for a Melee/Gameplay Animator reads:
Naughty Dog has spent the last decade+ carefully curating some of the top gameplay animators and technical minds in the world. This group of individuals is what allows us to create characters with the fidelity and believability that we put into games like The Last of Us and Uncharted series. We are looking for talented gameplay animators to help us create compelling systems for our future project(s). Work may include helping shape the hand-to-hand combat system and/or bringing the various enemy archetypes and supporting cast to life.
Another job description for a Character Concept Artist states:
We strive to create compelling, grounded characters who fit seamlessly within the narrative-driven worlds we build. You’ll work alongside other departments and disciplines to inform, inspire, collaborate and create artistic solutions to technical obstacles. Our Character pipeline is at the forefront of AAA development – we’re looking for individuals who want to be a part of our expanding process!
Considering Naughty Dog is giving Uncharted and The Last of Us a rest, it’s possible that the studio is creating a new IP for current-gen consoles.
We’ll update our readers when we have more information.