For a very long time, it has been rumored that Cory Barlog, director of God of War II and the 2018 entry in the series, was working on a new IP, leaving other members of the team to work on games such as God of War Ragnarok. Eventually, it was discovered this new IP was still set in the series' universe, but would feature a new main character, Kratos' wife and Atreus' mother, Faye, and more action-oriented gameplay reminiscent not only of games like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, but of the franchise's roots.
After months of rumors and speculation, this new game has been revealed as God of War Laufrey during today's State of Play.
"Experience the next chapter of the legendary God of War franchise - for both new and returning fans alike," the game's official description reads. "Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning. Awakening unexpectedly in a strange land after her death, Faye discovers the plans she put in place to protect Kratos and Atreus in her absence are now at risk."
The first 20 minutes of the game, which closed the presentation, offered a taste of Faye's journey in the Everywhen, the afterlife of the gods, where the Jotunn will fight ruthless gods from across mythology. As previously rumored, while the game retains some elements from the most recent entries in the series, the experience seems much more action-oriented, with a faster combat system better suited to Faye's superior speed and combat abilities. The most notable addition to the combat is proper aerial combos, which look as devastating as the visceral ground combat.
Unfortunately, it may be a while before we can try out God of War: Laufey, as a release date hasn't been announced, although rumors indicate it is not years away and may launch in 2027.
Following the end of the State of Play presentation, a new video introducing the cast of God of War Laufey has been released. Deborah Ann Woll reprises her role as Faye, joined by Jack Quaid (Phranque) and Perlina Lau (Rue).
Despite the lack of a release date, God of War fans still have a lot to look forward to. Besides God of War Laufey, a God of War Trilogy Remake is also in development, aiming to modernize the first three entries in the series in yet-to-be-revealed ways. A TV show based on the 2018 game is also being produced by Amazon.
In addition, another spin-off, God of War: Sons of Sparta, was released earlier this year, offering players a look into Kratos' past as a young Spartan in an adventure that, although flawed, is still rather enjoyable.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.
