The closing announcement in any large, multi-subject press conference is typically a position of honor, a big exciting thing to surprise the crowd and send them home happy.
But in this era of constant Internet leaks and games as large businesses that telegraph their moves from a mile away, it’s difficult for something big to surprise anyone.
The fact that Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End exists isn’t a surprise—it was teased last November on the eve of the PS4 launch, and after Amy Hennig (the writer of the first three Uncharted games) and other key staff had left Naughty Dog, it was quickly announced that the key members of The Last of Us team had already moved on to the Uncharted team.
The trailer, embedded below, reveals very little, aside from Naughty Dog’s impressive in-engine (though likely not in-game) model for Nathan Drake. The game appears to be set in the series’ trademark jungle backdrop.
If there is a surprise about Uncharted 4, it’s the subtitle, implying (though hardly confirming) it will serve as the final installment in the franchise.
The trailer suggests a 2015 release date.