God of War Laufey is bringing back the original trilogy’s faster combat

Sony Santa Monica Studio unveiled God of War Laufey at the June 2026 PlayStation State of Play showcase, a new spin-off that shifts focus from protagonist Kratos to his deceased wife Faye. The game takes place in the afterlife of the gods and runs parallel to the timeline of God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok, rather than serving as a prequel.

The title marks a significant direction change for the franchise. Developer Santa Monica Studio set out to blend the character-driven storytelling and narrative focus of the Norse-era games with the faster, more acrobatic combat style of the original Greek trilogy. The 20-minute gameplay reveal showcased Faye embarking on an adventure through the divine afterlife, accompanied by two peculiar companions: Rue, a talking ribbon, and Phranque, a gelatinous sentient cube that became an unexpected star of the presentation.

Faye is voiced and motion-captured by actress Deborah Ann Woll, who also serves as the visual model for the character. Despite the shift away from Kratos, Sony has assured fans that the protagonist will return, with creative director Cory Barlog stating “there’s always going to be games about Kratos.”

The reveal has generated significant buzz, though reactions remain mixed. While many praised the gameplay and new direction, original series creator David Jaffe criticized the title as “uninspired and dull,” comparing it unfavorably to Square Enix’s Forspoken. The game has also sparked online discussion and debate. No official release date has been announced; the game will be exclusive to PlayStation 5.

God of War Laufey is bringing back the original trilogy’s faster combat

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