10 Years On, Uncharted 5 Still Hasn't Arrived

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End has now been out for ten years. In a thank-you message published on its official website, Naughty Dog confirmed that the game, which launched on PS4 on May 10, 2016, has reached its 10th anniversary. The studio is marking it with free PS5 rewards, including a dynamic HD wallpaper and four limited avatars, while Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is discounted by around 67% on Steam through May 15.

The anniversary lands with a familiar reminder of why Uncharted 4 still holds its place as one of Naughty Dog’s defining works. It is widely praised for its strong story, cinematic presentation, action-adventure design, and polished visuals. More importantly, it knew how to blend authored storytelling with just enough player-led exploration to make the journey feel bigger than its structure really was. It was never a standard open-world game, but it was exceptionally good at selling the illusion of discovery.

That remains one of the game’s most impressive qualities a decade later. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End does not rely on sheer map size. Its levels feel more like carefully planned travel routes, built to deliver scenery, pacing, and small exploratory detours in exactly the right rhythm. You can step off the path, search behind a broken wall, or poke around for a note, and even minor environmental details help the adventure feel like a place you actually passed through. Just as crucially, this is where Nathan Drake’s story comes to a close, and it still feels like a complete ending rather than an obvious hook for something else.

The anniversary event itself is modest, but not careless. PS5 users will be able to claim the series’ first PS5-exclusive home screen dynamic wallpaper, based on the key art for Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, with free downloads opening later this month. There are also four limited free avatars featuring classic visual motifs such as pirate coins and Drake’s ring. These avatars must be redeemed through codes in the PSN Store, and the codes differ by region across the Americas, Europe/Australia, Japan, Korea, and Asia. As usual, that means regional account restrictions may apply, and redemption availability may be time-limited.

What many players actually wanted to hear, though, was not news about avatars. It was Uncharted 5. Rumors about Naughty Dog developing a new entry have been circulating for the past few weeks, but the studio has still not confirmed any new project. This 10th anniversary celebration comes with no major update, no new DLC, and no official word on Uncharted 5. For fans of the series, that silence is the real headline.

There is at least one more clearly sentimental note to the celebration. Nolan North, the voice of Nathan Drake, recorded a video reflecting on his time with the series and thanking the community for its support. In that message, he quoted “Sic Parvis Magna” - “greatness from small beginnings” - as a farewell to players. It fits. The Uncharted series has now reached more than 37 million total players, which says a lot about its staying power even after Nathan Drake’s final chapter.

For anyone still catching up, this is a good moment to do it. On Steam, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection is available at about 67% off until May 15, and PC players can also pick up newly added community items such as avatars and emotes as part of the celebration. PS5 players, meanwhile, are better served by treating the anniversary bonuses as a low-cost excuse to drop back in.

The limitation is obvious: this is a commemorative event, not the start of a new route. But for a game like Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End, the fact that people are still waiting for the next departure ten years later says enough on its own.