Following his departure from the role of co-showrunner, Neil Druckmann will maintain his involvement as a guiding force for HBO's adaptation of "The Last of Us"

Neil Druckmann has provided more details on his decision to step back from his role at HBO's The Last of Us. He discussed this in an interview with Variety, explaining that he had achieved his objective of broadening the game's audience through its television adaptation.

"I wanted to reach those who wouldn't usually play video games," Druckmann noted about expanding the reach of The Last of Us.

His decision to leave came after the team commenced work on the third season’s script. Druckmann mentioned, "I assessed my future commitments, both in terms of the upcoming season and multiple game projects, and concluded that focusing on higher-level responsibilities was necessary."

The balance of co-showrunning the first two seasons and directing studio operations was incredibly demanding. "Leading a studio while also developing a game proved difficult alongside my showrunning duties," he shared. Druckmann also acknowledged the contributions of colleagues like Matthew Gallant, Claire Carré, Kurt Margenau, and Alison Mori, who played significant roles during his involvement with the series.

Though stepping back from day-to-day operations, Druckmann intends to maintain some involvement. "While I miss delving deep into aspects like effects and scripts, my aim is to ensure that the third season remains as true to the original's essence as the first," he remarked.

Druckmann cited increased interest in the game post-series, similar to the Amazon's Fallout's effect, noting that viewers have developed an interest in gaming platforms like PlayStation and PC after watching The Last of Us. "The show has introduced people to this medium I cherish," he concluded.