Santa Monica Studio has officially pulled back the curtain on God of War Laufey, the next mainline entry in one of PlayStation's most celebrated franchises. The reveal came during the PlayStation State of Play on June 2, 2026, and it caught almost everyone off guard in the best possible way.

What Is God of War Laufey About

For the first time in the series' history, Kratos is not the one you are playing as. Faye, his wife and the mother of Atreus, takes the lead role. The setup picks up after her death, with Faye awakening unexpectedly in a place called the Everywhen, described as the afterlife of the gods, where mythological figures from across different cultures coexist, not always peacefully. Her goal is to get back to protect Kratos and Atreus, whose safety she now believes is at risk.

Two companions travel with her. Phranque, a cosmic cube voiced by Jack Quaid, and Rue, an enchanted ribbon guardian voiced by Perlina Lau. Deborah Ann Woll, who voiced Faye in Ragnarok, reprises the role here.

God of War - Combat and Gameplay

Santa Monica describes Faye's combat as fast, fluid, and lethal. Her moveset pulls from both eras of the series, borrowing the mobility and airborne aggression of the Greek games while keeping the close, weighty feel that defined the Norse entries. Her signature ability is the Golden Hand of the Jötnar, which lets her detach souls from enemies mid-combat and use them offensively in chains. She also wields a sword.

Why This Matters

God of War has earned its reputation across two distinct trilogies. The original Greek era built the franchise on pure spectacle and brutality. The 2018 reboot and Ragnarok rebuilt it entirely around story, character, and emotional weight, setting a benchmark that very few action games have matched since.

Laufey feels like it is trying to carry both of those legacies simultaneously, which is an ambitious position to be in. The fact that Santa Monica is centring the game on Faye, a character who was dead before the 2018 reboot even started, shows real confidence in the depth of the world they have built.