'There's a whole congregation of that kind of person' Former The Last of Us dev says Neil Druckmann told him that 'several people' alongside Ellie were immune in the world of the post-apocalyptic game

Date:
Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:16:18 +0000

Description:
Former Naughty Dog lighting artist Gabriel Betancourt has claimed The Last of Us series creator Neil Druckmann told him that Ellie wasn't the only immune person in the game's world.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Become a Member in Seconds Unlock instant access to exclusive member
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your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful Join the club Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards. Explore An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Former Naughty Dog developer Gabriel Betancourt claims Neil Druckmann told
him there are "several" immune people in The Last of Us Betancourt recalls Druckmann saying that "There's a whole congregation of that kind of person"
in the game's world He adds that Druckmann wanted to tell a story "with multiple characters" Former Naughty Dog lighting artist Gabriel Betancourt
has claimed The Last of Us series creator Neil Druckmann told him that Ellie wasn't the only immune person in the game's world.

If you're familiar with The Last of Us , you'll know that Ellie is immune to the Cordyceps infection that ravaged the world. In the game, it's Joel's mission to deliver her across America to the Fireflies so the rebel group can use her to create a cure. However, spoiler alert, Joel discovers that
creating a cure means Ellie will die in the process, so he kills all the Fireflies and whisks her away in an act of love, a controversial decision
that also has major repercussions in The Last of Us Part 2 . Article
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It's thought that Joel took away the only chance humanity had of ever having
a cure, since Ellie is the only immune person in the world. Or is she?

According to Betancourt, in a recent interview with Kiwi Talkz , Druckmann told him that there were "several people" in the world who were immune to the infection. #206 - Gabriel Betancourt Interview On Naughty Dog, Last Of Us, Neil Druckmann, Lighting, Nintendo - YouTube Watch On The developer explained that before leaving the studio in 2019, he had a conversation with Druckmann about keeping Ellie as the only immune person, because it would otherwise diminish The Last of Us ' ending.

Betancourt recalls Druckmann saying that "There's a whole congregation of
that kind of person", meaning immune people, and he wanted to "tell a more sophisticated story. I want to tell a story with multiple characters and kind of expand on that." Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from
us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

"I felt like the pillar of the story was Ellie being the only person with the cure," Betancourt said. "And so protecting her, and making sure she got to where she needs to go to save humanity - because without the cure, life is hopeless - that's what created the gravity of that world. That was the
context that made The Last of Us special."

The concept of additional immune people didn't end up becoming a plot point
in The Last of Us Part 2 , and it's still unclear if Druckmann intends to follow through with his comments.

It's been years since Betancourt's conversation with the now-head of Naughty Dog, so it's possible ideas have changed, evolved, or been completely scrapped. What to read next Former Xbox exec thinks Naughty Dog's decision to cancel the 80% completed The Last of Us Online 'was the right call', but it shouldn't have greenlit it in the first place 'The ambition was there, but the realistic upfront planning wasn't', she says Resident Evil Requiem's
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While a third The Last of Us game hasn't been announced at this time, Neil Druckmann has seemingly teased the future of the PlayStation series , writing on social media about a "few stops that remain on the road ahead."

Druckmann has previously discussed the possibility of The Last of Us Part 3 rumors, saying, "the only thing I would say is dont bet on there being more
of ' Last of Us .' This could be it." However, the director's statement contradicted what he'd previously said about the potential of there being
"one more chapter to this story" .

Currently, Naughty Dog is developing its new single-player game for the PS5 , Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet . The best gaming consoles All the best consoles of this generation

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