Santa Monica Studio is making another God of War game starring Kratos, and it's slated to arrive after God of War: Laufey launches on February 16, 2027. Cory Barlog confirmed the news Friday at San Diego Comic-Con, putting to rest speculation that the franchise might shift permanently to Faye following her standalone adventure.
The Announcement
Barlog, now head of creative at Santa Monica Studio, took the stage during the studio's Comic-Con panel and stated plainly: Kratos will return. The next mainline entry will follow Laufey chronologically and tie directly into its events. No title, no release window, no gameplay — just confirmation that the Ghost of Sparta isn't done. Laufey itself got a firm date: PS5, February 16, 2027.
Why This Now
The timing isn't accidental. God of War Ragnarök shipped in 2022 to critical and commercial success, moving over 11 million copies in its first ten weeks. Since then, Santa Monica has been unusually quiet — no new project announcements, just the Sons of Sparta prequel collaboration with Mega Cat Studios and vague rumors of a trilogy remake. Meanwhile, the industry has shifted: live-service pivots have flopped, single-player narrative games are back in favor, and PlayStation needs tentpole exclusives for the PS5's back half. Confirming Kratos' return now reassures investors and fans that the studio's flagship IP hasn't stalled.
What Laufey Sets Up
Laufey sends Faye into the Everywhen — the afterlife of gods — where she discovers her contingency plans for Kratos and Atreus are unraveling. That premise does heavy lifting for the next Kratos game. If Faye's machinations are failing across mythological boundaries, Kratos could be dragged into pantheons beyond Norse and Greek. Egyptian and Tibetan deities have been teased in environmental storytelling and lore entries since 2018; Laufey appears to be the narrative bridge making them playable destinations.
The Competitive Landscape
Sony's first-party slate for 2026-2027 is thin on confirmed blockbusters. Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yōtei occupy the near term. A post-Laufey Kratos game likely targets 2028 or later, giving the PS5 Pro a flagship showcase and bridging to whatever hardware follows. Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Bethesda means Xbox owns Doom, Elder Scrolls, and Fallout — all single-player heavy hitters. Sony's counterweight remains its narrative action exclusives. Kratos is the biggest club in that bag.
Skepticism Warranted
Santa Monica Studio has cycled through directors and leads since God of War (2018). Barlog stepped back after Ragnarök; Eric Williams directed the sequel. Now Barlog oversees creative for the whole studio while a new director presumably helms the next Kratos entry. That transition hasn't been tested publicly. Add in the Laufey detour — a Faye-led game with different mechanics and tone — and there's risk the studio spreads itself thin across two concurrent narrative-driven projects. The trilogy remake, still unshown, adds a third variable.
What Comes Next
Expect a reveal trailer for the next Kratos game sometime in 2027, likely after Laufey releases. Sony typically spaces major first-party reveals 18-24 months before launch. Watch for whether the Egyptian and Tibetan mythologies materialize as full settings or side content — that decision will signal whether Santa Monica is iterating or reinventing again. For now, the message is clear: Kratos isn't retiring. He's just waiting for Faye to finish what she started.
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