Key Takeaways
- Santa Monica Studio used its SDCC 2026 panel "Forging God of War's Next Heroes" to confirm a new Kratos-led God of War game that will connect directly to the story of God of War: Laufey.
- God of War: Laufey makes Faye the series' first non-Kratos lead, following her in the afterlife realm Everywhen as she races to protect the plans she set for Kratos and Atreus while gods from multiple mythologies battle for power.
- Deborah Ann Woll calls Laufey a "reluctant hero," while Kratos actor Chris Judge says Faye is the "genesis" of Kratos' change toward hope, forgiveness, and being better, underscoring her importance to both the Norse saga and the next mainline game.
A new God of War game led by Kratos is in development, and it will connect directly to the events of God of War: Laufey.
The franchise-shaking reveal was confirmed on Friday (July 24) by PlayStation's Santa Monica Studio during its San Diego Comic-Con panel, "Forging God of War's Next Heroes."
Elsewhere during the panel, Deborah Ann Wolf, who voices Laufey, Kratos' wife, in the upcoming God of War Laufey, described her character as a "reluctant hero."
Kratos’ voice actor, Chris Judge, also spoke about the importance of her character in both God of War and God of War: Ragnarok.
"I always thought that Faye was the genesis of the change of Kratos," he said. "So much of the message in the first two games was about hope and forgiveness and being better. I think that all started with Kratos' relationship with Faye. That's where it began in him and what kept him going was ensuring that this wonderful life that we had created together would be better than the old man."
God of War: Laufey is the first entry in the series where Kratos sits out as the primary playable character. The game follows Kratos's wife, who wakes in a mystical afterlife realm called the Everywhen after her funeral and races to protect the plans she put in motion for Kratos and their son, Atreus.
Judge returns to voice Kratos in a supporting capacity, with Jack Quaid voicing a companion named Phranque and Perlina Lau voicing ribbon-and-sword spirit Rue.
Laufey is set parallel to God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarok, beginning in the immediate aftermath of Faye's death at the opening of the 2018 game. The Everywhen is described as the source of all magic in the universe, where beings from across mythologies fight for dominance.
