While Naughty Dog has yet to hint a release period for its anticipated sequel, "The Last of Us 2," speculations suggest that the new game will already enter production as early as next year.

According to Gamenguide, since the studio has already finished another big-name project, "Uncharted 4," Naughty Dog can then switch its focus to another IP. However, since "Uncharted 4" is still expected to come out with expansion updates and DLC, other games like "The Last of Us 2" will only have to enter pre-production. The development of the game will most likely go on full swing in 2017 at the earliest.

A 2017 production start for "The Last of Us 2" is highly possible. Most fans are eagerly waiting for the sequel as it has been some time since the franchise has been updated. The original "The Last of Us" was released back in 2013, while a remastered version came out the year after. In addition, "The Last of Us" is inarguably one of Naughty Dog's most popular games, so getting as sequel out as early as possible will be a plus factor for the studio.

However, even if the game goes into production by next year, it may still take some time before fans see "The Last of Us 2." Speculations suggest that Naughty Dog is looking to release the sequel by 2021. It remains unconfirmed, though, so 2021 may only be a placeholder of the latest schedule for the release of "The Last of Us 2," with the sequel possibly launching earlier than the expected 2021 timeline.

Although Naughty Dog has yet to come out with details about the sequel, different suppositions on what "The Last of Us 2" is all about have already made their way online. Rumor has it that the sequel will see a time jump, with events unveiling at least years after the original game. However, it is expected that Ellie will take center stage for the sequel and that a cure for the virus will already have been found.