In an interview, he recalled Fumito Ueda's Ico, released in September 2001 on PlayStation 2. Even 25 years after its release, Druckmann calls the scene near the end of Ico his favorite moment in gaming history.
"My favorite moment - the one that made my jaw drop - is a scene in Ico. The game has a mechanic where you lead Yorda by holding her hand. She seems helpless and you protect her. And then, near the end, the bridge collapses, you're on one side, she's on the other. All that's left is to jump to her, knowing you'll fall. But at the last moment she grabs your hand. It's incredibly touching, because she's never done anything like that before."
According to Druckmann, this scene inspired him as a developer. He felt a real connection to Yorda, and has since tried to convey the same emotions in his games.
He previously called Ico his favorite game of all time.