Fans are disappointed that developer Naughty Dog did not make a commitment to the much-awaited sequel to "The Last of Us" at the E3. However, speculations suggest that the follow-up is already confirmed and the studio will reveal the new game at next year's E3.

According to Breathecast, speculations say Naughty Dog is already laying the groundwork for "The Last of Us 2." Reportedly, the developer will be tying in the new sequel to their current project, "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End." While the latest Nathan Drake adventure is already out, Naughty Dog plans to release post-launch content for the game at the end of 2016. The industry follower then expects the studio to drop some hints at "The Last of Us 2" in the new content, much like how "Uncharted 3," released in 2011, contained Easter eggs that teased the release of the original "The Last of Us" in 2013.

In addition, since "The Last of Us 2" is expected to roll out by 2018, it is already expected that the game will become official next year, with Naughty Dog more likely announcing the game at the E3. This is more than likely since the annual E3 trade show is considered to be one of the biggest events in the gaming industry.

Meanwhile, although Naughty Dog has yet to confirm "The Last of Us 2," some industry observers agree that Naughty Dog is already set on making a sequel. It has been rumored that the studio has posted vacancies for game level designers. In addition, in an interview, Naughty Dog's Josh Scherr said, "All the facial animation in the Uncharted series was led up by Eric, here . . . and [on] the first The Last of Us. Uh, did I say the first The Last of Us?"