Sacred Symbols+, Episode 457 | Neil Druckmann: The Man Who Wears Many Hats (Patreon)

Please welcome legendary writer, designer, director, and executive Neil Druckmann to Sacred Symbols+. Here in the games space, Neil is already one of the best-known names in the development scene, a man who began at Naughty Dog as a programmer on the latter Jak titles, only to climb the ranks to lead the entire studio, full stop. Today, we focus our conversation primarily around his work on HBO's rendition of The Last of Us, an adaptation which he co-wrote, co-produced, and even helped direct, tasks which -- when combined with all he does at Naughty Dog itself, including writing and directing the upcoming Intergalactic for PS5 -- has forced him into a number of roles in multiple industries. How does he keep it all straight? Does he ever sleep? What are his priorities, both professionally and personally? And how does he feel about the reaction to HBO's The Last of Us, from casting to story changes and more? While we wait for Intergalactic as patiently as we can, let's instead delve into the life and times of one of the few people who has successfully crossed between gaming to film and back again.