Is nathan drake's son a walking disaster? fans think so
The indie game Baby Steps, a punishingly slow-paced walking simulator released last year, has spawned a theory so bizarre – and strangely compelling – it’s captivating a dedicated corner of the gaming community. The core proposition? The game’s protagonist, Nate, a perpetually hapless adult man, is secretly the estranged son of Nathan Drake, the charismatic treasure hunter from Naughty Dog’s Unchartedseries.
A hilariously unlikely connection
Let’s be clear: on the surface, the idea is ludicrous. Nate from Baby Steps is, to put it kindly, a mess. He’s a middle-aged man trapped in a onesie, struggling to navigate the simplest of terrains, prone to existential moaning, and seemingly allergic to self-improvement. Nathan Drake, meanwhile, is a paragon of adventure, wit, and athleticism, regularly outsmarting mercenaries and scaling ancient ruins. The developer, Naughty Dog, has explicitly stated that Nathan only has a daughter, Cassie. Yet, a growing number of players, congregating in the official Baby Steps Discord, have unearthed a surprising amount of 'evidence' suggesting a familial link.
The initial whispers began shortly after the game's release, and have since coalesced into a detailed, almost obsessive, investigation. It’s not just about superficial similarities; it’s about a series of subtle, and occasionally blatant, clues woven into the fabric of Baby Steps. These range from seemingly throwaway dream sequences to the game's code itself.
One key element lies in Nate’s dreams, triggered by collecting silly hats. In one, he’s referred to as “Nate D” and, at another point, “Nathan Bake” – a clear, if playful, nod to his more famous namesake. Further complicating matters, optional phone calls with Nate's father reveal a sister named Cassie, and a familial label: “Junior.” His mother’s name? Elena. But the most startling revelation emerged from datamining: Nate’s in-game model is simply labeled “Nathan Drake” within the game's files.
Beyond these textual and coded hints, the theorists point to visual parallels. Comparing official Baby Steps art to the cover of Uncharted 4 reveals striking similarities in hand posture. A picture of Sir Francis Drake, Nathan Drake’s ancestor, hangs in the New Game menu. The “World’s Best Dad” achievement image bears an uncanny resemblance to an older Nathan Drake. Even a seemingly innocuous scene where Nate wakes up on a beach mirrors a moment from Uncharted 4 with unsettling accuracy.
The developers, Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy, have declined to comment on the theory, understandably so, given its far-fetched nature and the potential complications it presents for both Baby Steps and the Uncharted franchise. Sony and Naughty Dog are unlikely to officially endorse the idea, as it strays far from the established canon. But whether intentional or not, the developers have crafted a game ripe for this kind of speculation.
Baby Steps, regardless of its connection to Uncharted, remains a remarkable experience—an infuriatingly precise exercise in awkward physics and purposeful frustration. We awarded it a 9/10, calling it “an infuriating ordeal of intentionally awkward physics that’s brutal, unbelievably stupid, and downright awesome.”