Kratos is stepping aside. For the first time in the franchise’s history, he is not the main character.
That role belongs to Laufey, his wife. Fans know her better as Faye. And her story is about to become the next big chapter in the God of War saga.
Here is everything confirmed so far about God of War: Laufey.
Release Date
God of War: Laufey launches February 16, 2027, exclusively on PS5.
The date was confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con, during a dedicated Laufey panel featuring game director Ariel Lawrence, cast members, and Santa Monica’s creative head Cory Barlog. No new trailer came with the announcement. Pricing, editions, and pre-order details are still under wraps, but the game is already wishlistable on PlayStation Store.
Physical copies are confirmed too. Even with Sony planning to go digital-only from January 2028, Santa Monica Studio confirmed Laufey will ship on Ultra HD Blu-ray disc for PS5.
The Story: Death Was Not the End
The game picks up right after Laufey’s funeral, the scene that opens God of War (2018). Kratos and Atreus cremate her body in Midgard. But Faye wakes up somewhere else entirely.
That place is called Everywhen, the gods’ afterlife. It is where magic is born and where it ultimately returns. Gods and creatures from multiple mythologies exist there, all fighting for power.
Faye discovers the plans she left behind to protect Kratos and Atreus are now in danger. So she sets out through Everywhen to save them, all while the natural flow of magic around her has broken down.
Her journey puts her on a collision course with two other gods of war: Sekhmet from Egyptian mythology and Begtse from Mongolian mythology.
The biggest twist for longtime fans: this entire story happens at the same time as God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök. Faye’s fight in the afterlife runs parallel to everything Kratos and Atreus go through in the living world.
Honestly, this is the part that has me hooked. Faye has always been a ghost in this series, a name Kratos and Atreus keep chasing, a plan they keep uncovering piece by piece. We knew her through other people’s memories, never her own. Giving her a full game, and setting it to run alongside the two games we already know inside out, is a smart move. I am genuinely curious how much of what happens in Everywhen quietly explains the choices Kratos and Atreus made on their journey. That kind of parallel storytelling can fall flat if it feels like padding, but if Santa Monica pulls it off, it could reframe how we look back at the first two games entirely.
Gameplay: Faster, More Fluid Combat
Faye plays differently from Kratos. Her combat builds on the systems from the 2018 reboot and Ragnarök, but adds back the speed and fluidity of the earlier, classic-era games.
She has greater mobility than Kratos. She can move between ground attacks and aerial attacks without ever breaking her combo flow.
Her main weapon is a sword guarded by an enchanted ribbon named Rue. The combat style leans into speed, control, and chaining hits together to keep momentum going.
She also has a signature power tied to her title as the Golden Hand of the Jötnar. Using her golden palm, Faye can rip an enemy’s soul straight out of its body. That detached soul becomes a weapon itself, either attacked directly or slammed into other enemies. It is built to work inside combos, especially against groups.
This is the change I am most excited about. Kratos has always felt heavy, deliberate, almost tank-like in how he fights. Reading that Faye moves between ground and air without breaking her combo, and that her whole kit is built around speed and momentum, makes her sound like the polar opposite. Ripping souls out of bodies as an actual combat mechanic is also just a great idea on paper. It gives her a way to fight smarter, not just harder. If Santa Monica actually delivers on that fluid, faster combat, Laufey could end up feeling like its own distinct game rather than a Kratos game with a new skin on it.
Meet the Characters
Laufey / Faye — Played by Deborah Ann Woll. A powerful Jötunn warrior, once guardian of the Jötnar and a rebel leader against the Æsir known as Laufey the Just. She is Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother.
Phranque — Voiced by Jack Quaid. A curious, protective cosmic cube who looks out for his friends and the beings of Everywhen.
Rue — Voiced by Perlina Lau. An enchanted ribbon tasked with guarding a dangerously powerful sword, the same sword that becomes Faye’s weapon.
Kratos — Played by Christopher Judge. Faye’s husband. Not a playable character here, but protecting him drives her entire journey.
Atreus — Faye’s son. Same as Kratos, he is not playable, but he is central to why Faye fights.
Sekhmet and Begtse — The antagonists. Gods of war from Egyptian and Mongolian mythology respectively. Casting for both roles is still TBA.
Behind the Game
Ariel Lawrence directs, with narrative director Jimmie Myers, lead writer Elize Morgan, and staff writer Alanah Pearce handling the story.
Bear McCreary returns to score the game. He previously composed for God of War (2018), Ragnarök, and Sons of Sparta.
The game was first revealed at Sony’s State of Play on June 2, 2026, alongside a 20-minute gameplay trailer.
A New Kratos Game Is Already Confirmed
At the same Comic-Con panel, Cory Barlog dropped another bombshell: a new Kratos-led God of War game is already in development at Santa Monica Studio.
Barlog did not share plot details, but he confirmed it will connect directly to Laufey’s story. He described the franchise’s direction as “amazing.” No release window has been given yet.
That announcement is what really got me thinking about the bigger picture here. Santa Monica is not just making a spinoff and moving on; they are building an actual arc where Laufey’s story feeds directly into whatever comes next for Kratos. That is a bigger bet than most spinoffs are willing to make.
I am looking forward to seeing how much Laufey ends up being required reading before that next Kratos game, and how much Sony leans into this afterlife setting beyond just Norse mythology. Egyptian and Mongolian gods sharing a world with Norse ones opens up a lot of directions, and I hope they do not save all of that for later games.
The Bottom Line
God of War: Laufey flips the series’ formula for the first time, putting Faye front and center instead of Kratos. With a release date locked for February 16, 2027, a wild afterlife setting blending multiple mythologies, and a new Kratos game already teed up to follow it, this might be the biggest turning point the franchise has had since 2018.
Hi, I’m Rishab. I’m a passionate pc gamer and an avid video game content writer. I have been involved with video games for over 2 decades now, and even today, after playing an astronomical number of games over the years, I’m still eager for more. In my free time, you will find me enjoying a hot cup of coffee and playing my favorite relaxing fishing game, Dave the Diver.
