Alan Tudyk revealed surprising reasons for not playing Uncharted 4, and it’s not what you might expect from the former Naughty Dog collaborator.

When asked about Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End in 2017, Alan Tudyk’s response raised quite a few eyebrows. The veteran actor, who was originally attached to Naughty Dog’s ambitious project before walking away in 2014, had some rather interesting reasons for not checking out the final product.

Alan Tudyk at the 2024 Phoenix Fan Fusion. | Image Credit: Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0/Wikimedia Commons 

While many assumed his departure from the project left him bitter towards the studio, the truth behind his gaming preferences—or lack thereof—paints a surprisingly different picture. As it turns out, Tudyk’s aversion to Uncharted 4 might have less to do with any behind-the-scenes drama and more to do with something far more fundamental: the shape of PlayStation’s buttons.

The curious case of Alan Tudyk and Naughty Dog

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Back in 2014, Tudyk was set to lend his considerable talents to Uncharted 4 in an undisclosed role. However, his time with the project was cut short following a significant shake-up at Naughty Dog that saw creative director Amy Hennig depart the studio under controversial circumstances.

“I liked it… they… ummm… they fired… ummm… [lets out a massive sigh] I left, I quit! [laughs],” Tudyk told IGN in 2015. “I mean, I left because they decided to go a different way with it and so when they did that, when they changed leadership, it made my contract null and void.”

The actor wasn’t alone in his exodus. Todd Stashwick, who was originally cast as Nathan Drake’s brother Sam, also departed the project. Both actors cited discomfort with the script changes implemented after Neil Druckmann and Bruce Straley took over the project fresh off their success with The Last of Us.

But when asked in a 2017 IGN Up at Noon episode if he ever played the final version of Uncharted 4, Tudyk’s response revealed a rather unexpected reason for staying away from the game:

Sorry Nolan North, I have not checked out the finished product. I didn’t… no. I don’t play that game. I always played Halo.

The situation at Naughty Dog during this period was particularly contentious, with many fans viewing Hennig‘s departure as a sign of internal turmoil rather than “creative differences”. The studio had essentially scrapped months of her work on what was supposed to be the grand finale of Nathan Drake’s story, leading to widespread speculation about the true nature of these creative differences.

More than just creative differences

Sometimes it’s just all about not wanting to “touch triangles.” | Image Credit: PlayStation

As it turns out, Tudyk’s gaming preferences run deeper than just studio loyalty. The actor revealed himself to be a dedicated Xbox player, having missed an entire console generation while sticking to his trusty 360:

“Nathan Fillion was like ‘you’re not playing Halo anymore?’ You gotta… we’ll just play 5. So I went to my store, my GameStop, and said ‘Hey, let me get these.’ I was like, ‘Wait a second, what is Xbox One?’ I’m like ‘I have the 360, same thing right?’”

But perhaps the most amusing revelation was his reason for avoiding PlayStation altogether:

The buttons are shapes… yeah, that’s what’s kept me from PlayStation. I don’t want to be touching… I don’t know why I don’t want to touch triangles.

This playful admission suggests that Tudyk’s distance from Uncharted 4 might have more to do with his gaming platform preferences than any lingering resentment over the creative shake-up at Naughty Dog. After all, it’s hard to harbor ill will when you’re too busy avoiding geometric button shapes.

In fact, Tudyk’s gaming habits reflect a larger trend among players who develop strong platform loyalties early on. His dedication to Halo and Xbox mirrors the experience of many gamers who stick with what they know and love, even if it means missing out on acclaimed titles from other platforms.

The actor’s candid comments also highlight how personal and sometimes arbitrary our gaming preferences can be. While industry drama and creative differences might make for more dramatic headlines, sometimes it really does come down to something as simple as not wanting to press triangular buttons!

What do you think about Tudyk’s geometric aversion to PlayStation? Are you Team Shapes™ or Team Letters™ when it comes to controller buttons? Share your thoughts in the comments below!