Sony Santa Monica announced God of War Laufey as the next entry in the God of War series exclusive for PlayStation 5 at the PlayStation State of Play showcase on June 3, 2026 [1, 2, 3]. The gameplay reveal included a 20-23 minute trailer focused on Faye (Laufey), Kratos’ deceased wife, who is the new main playable character, marking a shift from previous games centered on Kratos and Atreus [1, 2, 4]. "Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning," Sony Santa Monica said [1].
God of War Laufey takes place in the Everywhen, the afterlife of the gods, where Faye battles to protect her family, including Kratos and Atreus, who appear briefly but are not playable [1, 2, 5]. The trailer shows Faye fighting using swordplay and magic powers, including a striking soul-detaching golden palm technique [1]. It also features unique characters like a talking sword and a gelatinous cube companion voiced by actor Jack Quaid [1, 4]. The game continues the franchise’s focus on brutal, intimate combat and story-driven gameplay [1, 4].
The announcement met mixed reactions. Some fans and critics criticized the gameplay for a lack of innovation and expressed disappointment with Faye as the protagonist [3, 5]. David Jaffe, the original God of War creator, called the game "uninspired" and predicted it would not meet expectations on a livestream [3]. A tweet by Domino’s Pizza UK comparing God of War without Kratos to "a pepperoni pizza without pepperoni" went viral with 4.1 million views but sparked backlash online [5]. Sony Santa Monica responded with a brief acknowledgment tweet [5].
Beyond God of War Laufey, PlayStation State of Play included other single-player titles such as Marvel's Wolverine but gave little attention to live-service or multiplayer games [4]. The new God of War game remains in development with no confirmed release date [1, 2, 3].
