It has been a week since Naughty Dog released The Last of Us 2, which is the critically acclaimed sequel to its 2013 game. In typical Naughty Dog fashion, the latest game that chronicles the story of Ellie, Joel, and new character Abbie, is set in a vast world filled with small details that players can easily miss. During Ellie's part in the game, players will be able to collect different trading cards that feature fictional superhero characters.
One interesting trading card that players can obtain during Ellie's first day in Seattle is the Doctor Uckmann (Dr. Uckmann) card. Of course, those who are familiar with the developers behind The Last of Us 2 would know that this card is an obvious easter egg to Naughty Dog's vice president and game director Neil Druckmann. Given that the card pays tribute to the game's director, it's backstory is not just a blurb about the game's fictional superhero universe, but rather, it appears to be telling a message from within Naughty Dog. NOTE: This is just a roundup of popular theories surrounding the card.
For context, here is what the Doctor Uckmann card has to say:
Once a well-respected researcher, Doctor Uckmann’s questionable experiments in the realm of pushing human limits saw him ostracized from the scientific community. Even the morally-compromised Laurent Foucault of SPARK Laboratories found his work dubious. Undeterred, Uckmann continued his work in secret, creating super-AI to do his bidding and protect his research while he and The New Dogs stage high-tech heists to fund it all. Constantly moving his lab location so no one can find him, he longs for the day where his subjects will be treated as equals.
So what is the card trying to say?
A Commentary on Naughty Dog's Crunch Culture
For much of its history, Naughty Dog has produced games that are known for their detailed worlds, deep storylines, and immersive gameplay. However, unknown to most players, creating a game of this level of quality usually comes at a great cost, and for many years, Naughty Dog has been criticized for its crunch culture. There have been reports of burn out within the studio where employees are expected to work insane hours just to meet development deadlines.
The line that probably gave this away is "Doctor Uckmann's questionable experiments in the realm of pushing human limits saw him ostracized from the scientific communities." Reading between the lines, this could refer to reports that Naughty Dog has instilled a culture of perfectionism within the studio, where developers have to produce great games no matter the human cost. Of course, this could very well be just a coincidence. But for those who are familiar with the game's troubled development, this theory makes sense.
A Prediction of The Last of Us 2's Reception
Of course, while the crunch culture reference is likely what the card is trying to say, there is also another way to look at it. Using the same line, "Doctor Uckmann's questionable experiments in the realm of pushing human limits saw him ostracized from the scientific communities", it is possible that the card is referencing Neil Druckmann's prediction of how The Last of Us 2 will be received. Looking at the card, it is obvious that Doctor Uckmann is a villain, and shortly after the release of The Last of Us 2, many players are vilifying Druckmann himself, due to a controversial creative decision that was made for the game.
The part that described Doctor Uckmann as "pushing human limits got him ostracized from the scientific communities" could mean that Druckmann knows that the game's controversial storyline would "push the limits" of the fanbase, and will get him "ostracized" by the gaming community. If this theory is true, then Neil Druckmann was able to successfully predict the initial reactions of fans after the release of The Last of Us 2. Of course, this theory is a bit far-fetched, but no one can deny how it is plausible.
At the moment, the true intentions of the Doctor Uckmann card are still unknown, and no one will know what it means for sure until someone from Naughty Dog speaks up. In the end, it is just a trading card that doesn't really affect the game's story so it's true meaning will most likely remain a mystery.
The Last of Us 2 is out now exclusively for the PlayStation 4.