Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune Remake Sparks Hesitation from Original Designer

Benson Russell, designer for Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, has expressed reservations about a potential remake of the 2007 PlayStation 3 classic.

Rumors of a Remake Surface, But Russell Remains Skeptical

Over the past two years, speculation has grown that Naughty Dog is considering a remake of Drake’s Fortune, a title that continues to influence game design decades after its release. However, Russell argues that remakes aren’t necessary when the original game retains a strong cultural presence.

“Uncharted as a thing is still in the zeitgeist,” Russell stated. “System Shock… a remake of that now makes a lot of sense, because not just can you play it, but it had horrible key bindings, it kept a lot of people out of it from wanting to play it. There’s already a version [of Drake’s Fortune] you can play on modern consoles [to] get the experience.”

Russell questioned the value of altering the game, suggesting that rewriting the story would fundamentally change its essence and require extensive additions or removals of key elements. He compared the prospect to a “cash grab,” emphasizing the importance of preserving the original’s spirit.

“I honestly thought the same thing about The Last of Us Part 1… these are old games for a reason,” he added. Naughty Dog is currently focused on developing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, with Neil Druckmann stepping away from The Last of Us HBO series to prioritize the project. Rumors of a potential Last of Us 3 are also circulating.