Immune Settlement Concept in The Last of Us Universe

One potential location in The Last of Us Part 3 could be a settlement composed entirely of individuals immune to the Cordyceps brain infection—mirroring Ellie’s confirmed immunity. This possibility stems from a recent interview with Gabriel Betancourt, former Senior Lighting Artist at Naughty Dog, who revealed that series creator Neil Druckmann had developed extensive lore beyond what appeared in the first two The Last of Us games.

Fans have long questioned whether the Fireflies’ proposed cure for Cordyceps—as presented at the end of The Last of Us Part 1—is scientifically or narratively plausible. However, Ellie’s immunity itself is an established, unambiguous fact across both mainline games and HBO’s television adaptation. To date, no other character in the franchise has been confirmed or even strongly implied to share this condition.

Former Naughty Dog Artist Shares Lore Cut From TLOU Games

That long-standing assumption may now face significant revision. In a recent episode of the Kiwi Talkz podcast, Betancourt—who worked at Naughty Dog from July 2012 to February 2019—recalled Druckmann stating there exists “a whole congregation” of people immune to all forms of the Cordyceps infection within the The Last of Us universe: essentially, a self-sustaining community of individuals like Ellie.

Since neither The Last of Us Part 1 nor its 2020 sequel introduced or referenced such a group, the most direct interpretation of Betancourt’s account is that this immune settlement remains part of Druckmann’s unpublished, unreleased lore. As such, it represents a compelling candidate for inclusion in the long-rumored The Last of Us Part 3—either as a playable location or a pivotal story backdrop. This possibility remains contingent on Druckmann retaining the concept, as he reportedly shared it with colleagues in the late 2010s and may have since revised or discarded it.

Ellie Not Being the Only Immune Person in the World Matches TLOU Lore

The biological basis of Ellie’s immunity further supports the plausibility of additional immune individuals. As foreshadowed in the original game and explicitly confirmed in the Season 1 finale of HBO’s adaptation, Ellie was exposed to the Cordyceps fungus in utero. This prenatal exposure is implied to have disrupted the pathogen’s typical neurodegenerative progression—resulting in lifelong immunity. If in-utero exposure is indeed the mechanism, then statistically, Ellie is unlikely to be the sole survivor with this trait. A settlement of similarly immune individuals would therefore align with the franchise’s internal logic—and, like Ellie, such individuals would likely need to conceal their condition for safety.

The Last of Us Part 3 Is Unlikely To Release Before the 2030s

Naughty Dog has not officially announced development of a third mainline The Last of Us title. However, co-president Neil Druckmann has personally alluded to The Last of Us Part 3 in interviews from February 2024 and September 2025. Currently, the studio’s primary focus is completing its upcoming sci-fi action-adventure title, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which is rumored to target a mid-2027 release. Consequently, even if The Last of Us Part 3 is already in early development, its release is expected to fall well into the PlayStation 6 era—most likely during the 2030s.