The Last Of Us Part 3 Protagonist Has Gamers Split

4 hours ago 13

Published Sep 5, 2026, 5:30 AM EDT

Known as 'Cyberpunk 2077's' biggest fan, Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives in anything related to digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of womanhood, she is there.

Thanks to previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Luster, Angharad has built a strong understanding of both the digital world and what fans want from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers.

Since the launch of The Last of Us way back in 2013, the post-apocalyptic franchise has gone on to become one of the best of all time. Praised for its brave storytelling, alluring characters, stunning yet bleak open-world, and writing, it is no wonder that the franchise as a whole has grown exponentially.

Not only did Naughty Dog launch a sequel, The Last of Us Part II, in 2020, but an award-winning live-action adaptation courtesy of HBO has also taken television fans by storm over the last few years. However, with no official confirmation of The Last of Us Part III, the future of the video game franchise remains in the balance.

Joel shielding Ellie around a corner from a man with a rifle.

Despite Naughty Dog head Neil Druckmann giving contrasting statements when it comes to the potential of a third installment, there is no concrete answer. Whether or not The Last of Us Part III will enter development following the launch of Naughty Dog's upcoming IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, remains to be seen. However, if this does happen, it will be plenty of years until we see what happened next to both Ellie and Abby.

It is Ellie and Abby that offers another area of discussion for fans, after one user recently took to r/thelastofus to ask, "Would you play Part III if Ellie wasn't the main character?"

With almost 150 comments, it is safe to say that fans of The Last of Us franchise have their thoughts on whom the next protagonist could potentially be. As the in-game universe stands, both Ellie and Abby received open endings, meaning that they could easily be continued and explored in another installment. However, there is also the argument that this ending suits the story Naughty Dog was going with.

That being said, the top comment simply reads, "Ellie will probably be the main character because the whole story is about her." There is no denying that Ellie is the true protagonist of the franchise, even when players control Joel in The Last of Us Part I. However, with Ellie and Abby being two sides of the same coin, could this mean that a potential Part III could follow the latter instead?

Ellie in a rage in The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.

"I would still play it since I love the world of TLOU and I think there are more stories to be told within it," another comment read. "However, I’m not sure that I’d be as captivated by any TLOU story without Ellie in it, since it’s always been about her. I really do wonder if there will be another one and what that’ll look like."

Another fan thinks completely differently, adding, "Absolutely. In fact, I think you could make an argument Ellie's story is done for us to play. I would RATHER play as Ellie, but if the story was about, say, Tommy instead, I'd be completely fine with it."

As mentioned, there has been no official confirmation of The Last of Us Part III at the time of writing, and so any potential protagonist remains unknown. However, if any game studio has our trust, it is Naughty Dog.