Naughty Dog is hard at work on The Last of Us: Part II and the latest issue of Weekly Famitsu included a brief interview with Art Director John Sweeney and Director of Communications Arne Meyer.

Asked whether they’re playing games from other studios, both answered positively, and Meyer added that it often makes him realize new possibilities. When playing other teams’ games they feel a bit of pressure to surpass them.

When the interviewer asked which games create that pressure Meyer explained that looking at God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and Horizon: Zero Dawn encourages him to strive to make The Last of Us: Part II an even better game. Sweeney explained that new games set a hurdle that he wants to overcome. This encourages him to think about his own approach.

Asked whether a sense of rivalry exists even among Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide studios, Meyer explained that a degree of competition does exist, but it’s cooperative competition rather than rivalry. If another Sony studio achieves something wonderful, they can be asked “how did you do this?” and they will provide that information.

Of course, this goes both ways, and Naughty Dog will share as well when other studios ask. This is how different Sony studios cooperate to help improve each other’s level.

Just a few days ago, Creative Director Neil Druckmann shared a tease about “one of the most complicated and heart-wrenching scenes” Naughty Dog has ever worked on. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen much of the game since the latest reveal at E3 2018, but a week or so ago Sony Interactive Entertainment released a brand new dynamic theme dedicated to the game and a two-hour-long video showing the same scene with a burning car. That’s Naughty Dog’s humorous (and fairly dark) take on a Yule Log for the Holidays.

The Last of Us Part II is coming for PS4 but doesn’t yet have an official release window as of this writing.

Source: Weekly Famitsu