Fans Speculate 'Baby Steps' Could Be a Hidden Fan-Made Uncharted 5

Enthusiasts of last year's delightfully agonizing walking simulator, Baby Steps, have cooked up an outlandish theory about its onesie-wearing protagonist, Nate: they believe he might be the son of Uncharted's iconic hero, Nathan Drake, and they've amassed a surprising array of clues to back it up.

Baby Steps chronicles the journey of Nate, a grown man who finds himself barefoot in a onesie in a bizarre world inhabited by donkey-like beings. With no memory of how he arrived or where he's headed, players must guide Nate forward by meticulously using controller sticks and shoulder buttons to lift, position, and set down each leg—a process that's pure torture, especially early on. Just as you start to master walking, the game throws mudslides, sand dunes, mountains, and ice into the mix to ramp up the challenge.

The game is a masterpiece, delving into themes of masculinity and societal expectations while questioning what constitutes 'character growth.' Frankly, Nate is a mess: a middle-aged coward who holes up in his parents' basement, plays video games, lacks any redeeming traits, and contributes little to society. Throughout Baby Steps, he stubbornly rejects help, even when offered maps, shoes, or staircases that would ease his trek. He complains, tumbles, soils himself, and proves to be an utterly grating companion over roughly 20 hours of slow, painful progress.

Given this, it seems absurd to link him to Nathan Drake, the dashing, clever, and athletic adventurer known for globe-trotting escapades and narrow escapes. Drake and his wife, Elena, canonically have a daughter named Cassie, with no son mentioned by developer Naughty Dog. Plus, it's unlikely Sony or Naughty Dog would sanction turning a Drake offspring into such a disaster. The idea feels downright ridiculous.

Yet, some fans are convinced the Baby Steps developers crafted Nate with a sly nod to being a Drake. Theories emerged as early as October 2025, shortly after the game's launch, and have gained traction in the official Baby Steps Discord's 'lore' channel, where players have uncovered connections that seem too deliberate to ignore.

Nate rarely discusses his past, but by collecting whimsical hats in the game, he can experience dreams at camp that hint at his real life. In one dream, he's called 'Nate D' or 'Nate Dumbass,' and he even adopts the alias 'Nathan Bake' while dabbling as a DJ. Optional phone calls with his dad reveal he has a sister named Cassie and is a 'junior,' with his father also named Nathan. Credits list his mother as Elena. To top it off, dataminers found Nate's model labeled as 'Nathan Drake' in the game files, as shared by user Caleb (monkeylicker) on Discord.

Subtler hints abound, though they feel glaring once spotted. For instance, official Baby Steps art mirrors Uncharted 4's cover (note Nate's hand!), as pointed out by Drencrom on Discord. Kuromi_#1Fan spotted a picture of Sir Francis Drake—Nathan Drake's supposed ancestor—on the New Game menu wall. Drencrom also noted that the 'World's Best Dad' achievement image resembles an older Nathan Drake, and a beach awakening scene closely echoes one from Uncharted 4.

In an optional phone scene, if Nate climbs an abandoned train like Nathan Drake Sr., his dad's interest noticeably perks up. As a fun bonus, in a lengthy end-game cutscene that plays if you skip others, developers Gabe Cuzzillo and Bennett Foddy break character to discuss Uncharted, revealing their fandom.

The evidence is so compelling and amusing that I reached out to developers Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy for comment, but they declined to confirm or deny.

Of course, it's improbable that Sony or Naughty Dog will make this canon—Nate Jr. appears dead or isekai'd, making his Uncharted integration pointless, and the whole concept is too whimsical for the series. Regardless, Baby Steps is a must-play. We awarded it a 9/10 in our review, praising it as 'an infuriating ordeal of intentionally awkward physics that’s brutal, unbelievably stupid, and downright awesome.'