The Uncharted series famous Doughnut Drake skin has been removed for Uncharted 4. The unlockable skin, which adds about 100 pounds to Drake’s figure, has been in all three of the Uncharted games and the remastered Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection.
According to Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann, the decision to remove the skin was a choice by Naughty Dog. Druckmann stated that he “didn’t want to have a laugh at someone’s expense” and that “I thought that we’d matured beyond that.”
Doughnut Drake was considered for Uncharted 4, as stated in the interview “We actually had the whole thing modelled and in there” and that the team “decided to make the call not to do it.”
This announcement from Naughty Dog is close to the Overwatch Butt Pose fiasco, so perhaps Naughty Dog wants to avoid any controversy before it happens. Still, the Uncharted Collection came out six months ago, and there was no backlash against the Doughnut Drake then, but you can’t fault Naughty Dog for their own artistic decision.
It’s a shame that this goofy alternative costume won’t be featured in Uncharted 4. The Doughnut Drake is purely aesthetic, so watching a tubby Nathan Drake do all the same death defying stunts adds an extra layer of humor that makes the game worth replaying.