Whether it’s appearing or not, insider NateTheHate heard some very interesting details about it. “When talk of the 2D God of War first started last year, I heard whispers that it was being considered for a multiplatform release. Whether that consideration evolved into an active plan… I don’t know.”

“Multiplatform” could mean anything in this sense, from a simultaneous release on PC and PS5 to other console versions. It wouldn’t be a first for Sony – the underwhelming LEGO Horizon Adventures was available on day one for Nintendo Switch – but that’s likely more due to contractual obligations. Despite Microsoft’s plans to launch Halo: Campaign Evolved and Fable on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC, Sony has yet to undertake similar ventures.

As for this God of War spin-off, reports first emerged last June about it being a “much smaller” than expected Metroidvania experience set in ancient Greece with a younger Kratos. Something similar in vein to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown would make sense, and there has been a side-scroller before (God of War: Betrayal for mobile devices).

Apparently, this new spin-off was slated for last before getting internally delayed to 2026. If an announcement is coming, State of Play wouldn’t be the worst time. Check out our picks for other potential reveals at the showcase, which airs at 2 PM PT on February 12th.

In a post on ResetEra, Schrier said that it’s going to be a new game from an old franchise, rather than being a new God of War game. He also noted that it’s not going to be a sci-fi game, as well as the fact that it might be a reinvention of an older IP that will make the game feel like a brand new IP. He even brings up comparisons to the newer God of War game when compared to the franchise’s history.

“I’ll put it this way: it’s not a new IP but it might feel like one,” Schreier wrote. “Maybe that’s why people are confused. Please don’t ask me more questions about this – if I wind up reporting more information at any point in the future, it’ll be in an article, not on a forum.”

In the same post, Schrier has also stated that “The sci-fi stuff (that people have apparently believed for years now?) is nonsense.”

In the same ResetEra thread, Schrier had previously noted that the game is going to be the studio’s next big thing, and that it was also being headed up by Cory Barlog. “Cory Barlog’s game is [Sony Santa Monica]’s next big thing,” wrote Barlog about the studio’s new project. “Last time I spoke to anyone about it (a month or two ago) it was going well.”

While Sony Santa Monica is working on a new project, previous reports have indicated that a new God of War game is also under development. The title is expected to be a 2.5D side-scrolling spin-off that takes us back once more to Greece. According to reports, this game has been pushed back to be released in 2026.

It is also worth noting that neither Sony nor Sony Santa Monica have made any official announcements about the studio’s future. With Schrier’s recent comments, it is likely that this metroidvania God of War game is being worked on by an entirely separate studio.

Reports from back in June indicated that Sony has been quite close to officially announcing the metroidvania title. According to Jeff Grubb and Tim Henderson, Sony has been expected to announce the spin-off title relatively soon.

The God of War spin-off is expected to be a side-story that takes place in Kratos’ past when he still lived in Greece. Much like Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown, the title is expected to offer a fresh take on a series that has traditionally focused on third-person combat with light RPG elements.

In the meantime, check out God of War and God of War Ragnarok composer Bear McCreary’s thoughts on his work on both of the titles.

Calling it Sony Santa Monica’s “next big thing,” Schreier said, “Last time I spoke to anyone about it (a month or two ago), it was going well.” Whether this is the next mainline God of War, the rumored Metroidvania spin-off, or something else entirely is unknown.

At any rate, Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb reported that the next title in the acclaimed action-adventure series has been internally delayed to 2026. That could mean a reveal by the end of this year, though Sony has yet to officially confirm a new game is in existence.

Stay tuned for more details in the meantime. God of War Ragnarok is available for PS4 and PS5 – check out our review. It’s sold over 15 million units as of November 2023 and received numerous updates, including the free Valhalla expansion. The most recent update, the Dark Odyssey Collection, arrived last March and added a new Kratos skin, armor set and much more. Head here for more details.

Rumors began circulating earlier this year about an alleged new project set in Greece focusing on a younger Kratos and his relationship with his father. It was rumored to be a smaller “side-story project,” later reported as a 2.5D Metroidvania-style action-adventure game.

Sony has yet to officially announce anything related to God of War, and even Santa Monica Studio has been relatively secretive since releasing God of War Ragnarok in 2022 (outside of post-launch updates like Valhalla). The PS5 manufacturer currently has Death Stranding 2: On the Beach and Ghost of Yōtei as its big single-player releases for the current fiscal year.

The future is much less clear, as it noted Marvel’s Wolverine and Intergalactic as upcoming big releases rather than committing to a fiscal year. Time will tell if this changes and whether we’ll hear more about this new God of War, so stay tuned.

Rumours and leaks have been claiming for a few months that a smaller God of War side story featuring a return to the series’ Greece era setting is in development. Apparently, as per prominent leaker Tom Henderson, that game is going to be a 2.5D Metroidvania action-adventure title. Taking to Twitter, the leaker recently claimed that he has been “hearing a lot of scuttlebutt” that the game will be announced soon, and that it will be a “much smaller” experience than previous reports may have suggested. 

Interestingly, journalist Jeff Grubb chimed in as well, seemingly corroborating Henderson’s claims with a tweet that said simply, “yeah.” 

With a State of Play presentation happening imminently and Summer Game Fest following not long afterward, it should be interesting to see whether we get an official announcement for this purported God of War spinoff in the imminent feature. Stay tuned for more updates.

Known insider Daniel Richtman has claimed in a report on his Patreon page that the next God of War game features an Egyptian mythology setting. As per the leaker, Sony is casting Middle Eastern actors for an unannounced AAA action-adventure title, likely the next God of War game.

This would be far from the first time an Egyptian mythology setting has been broached by the developers of God of War. Early on during the 2018 reboot’s development, Egypt was strongly favoured, before the team decided to settle on Norse mythology. Meanwhile, following the reboot’s release, director Cory Barlog suggested that the series could head to Egypt next.

Of course, leaks have claimed that Sony Santa Monica is currently working on a new IP, which might be the project that Barlog (who took a backseat for God of War Ragnarok) is leading. What that would mean for the immediate future of God of War is unclear.

Taking to Twitter, Grassetti announced that he has joined Naughty Dog, the developer of the Uncharted and The Last of Us games. Grassetti did not elaborate on what his role or position at the studio will be, or what project he will be working on.

At Santa Monica Studio, Grassetti also worked on God of War (2018), while prior to that, other roles at PlayStation had seen him involved in the development of The Order: 1886, Killzone Shadow Fall, and inFamous: Second Son. Previously, he also worked on Mass Effect 3 at BioWare.

It is currently unknown what Naughty Dog is working on, but the studio revealed a year ago that it was working on multiple ambitious single-player projects. Of these projects, the next one is confirmed to once again feature a character played by Troy Baker, while one of the titles could also be a new IP.

🐾 new chapter pic.twitter.com/97uKQ2YstI

— Raf Grassetti (@rafagrassetti) December 9, 2024

As per its PlayStation Store page, God of War Ragnarok is going to be PS5 Pro Enhanced. The action-adventure title’s store page carries the label that confirms the same, though specific details on exactly what said enhancements will entail are unknown. Presumably, the game will be making use of the console’s enhanced ray-tracing capabilities as well as PSSR to deliver improved visuals and higher fidelity at better frame rates. Hopefully, finer details will be revealed soon.

The PS5 Pro launches on November 7. Other games that will feature enhancements for the console upon its release include Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Horizon Forbidden West, Resident Evil Village, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Diablo 4, and more.

Comparatively, God of War (2018) reached 73,529 concurrent Steam players on January 16th, 2022. Given that it launched on January 14th and saw impressive numbers over the weekend, Ragnarok could repeat this success. Of course, the previous title didn’t mandate linking Steam with PlayStation Network to play (despite being a single-player title), so you have to wonder how much impact that has on the sequel.

It also creates concern for Ballistic Moon’s upcoming remake of Until Dawn, which launches on October 4th for PS5 and PC, and also requires a PSN account on Steam. Stay tuned for updates on the same.

In the meantime, check out our review of God War Ragnarok for PS5. You can also check out our feature for more details on PC-exclusive features.

In a PlayStation Blog post, developer Santa Monica Studio has revealed two new gameplay customization settings. One will let you reduce the frequency with which companion characters offer hints for puzzles, which is something that many were annoyed back when the game first launched a couple of years ago. The second new setting, meanwhile, will allow you to enable audio descriptions.

Both settings will also be coming to the game’s PS5 and PS4 versions “soon”, but a specific date hasn’t been confirmed.

Ahead of the action-adventure title’s release on PC, Sony recently also unveiled a new launch trailer, highlight critical acclaim for its original PlayStation release. Check it out through here.

God of War Ragnarok launches for PC on September 19. It is currently available on PS5 and PS4, and as of December last year, has sold over 15 million units worldwide. Check out our review of the base game through here, and the Valhalla DLC through here.