Ex‑Naughty Dog designer Benson Russell told FRVR that Uncharted 3's development may have been affected by a large number of pre‑planned set pieces, a contrast to Uncharted 2 where set pieces evolved organically during production. Uncharted 2, released in 2009, was praised for its critical and commercial success, while Uncharted 3, released in 2011, also achieved strong sales and a 10/10 IGN rating but ranks lower in series rankings. Russell explained that the Uncharted 3 team initially identified ten to twelve set pieces, such as the cargo plane sequence, and intended to select a subset for inclusion, but ultimately most were implemented, requiring writer and director Amy Hennig to weave the set pieces into the narrative, including a pirate storyline. Naughty Dog ended the Uncharted series in 2016, and although rumors of an upcoming Uncharted 5 have circulated, the studio has confirmed multiple projects in development, including Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, with no set release schedule announced.