When this article was first published, God of War Ragnarök was still a mystery. Fans were studying a teaser, debating the fate of Kratos and Atreus, and wondering whether Thor and Freya would finally step onto the battlefield. That waiting ended on November 9, 2022, when God of War Ragnarök arrived on PS4 and PS5.
Now the story has moved again. In 2026, Santa Monica Studio has officially revealed God of War Laufey, the next mainline entry in the series. Rather than simply continuing with another Kratos-led adventure, the new game places Faye — Laufey, wife of Kratos and mother of Atreus — at the centre of a journey through the afterlife of the gods.
God of War Ragnarök Already Answered the Old Questions
The original speculation surrounding “God of War 6” eventually became God of War Ragnarök. The game continued directly from 2018’s God of War, following Kratos and Atreus as Fimbulwinter tightened its grip on the Nine Realms and Ragnarök approached.
Many of the questions that once made the sequel so intriguing became central pieces of the finished game. Freya’s anger, Atreus’ identity as Loki, Thor’s arrival and the prophecies surrounding Kratos were no longer fragments on a mural or possibilities teased by an ending. They became part of the story players could finally experience.
Ragnarök also expanded the combat established in the 2018 game, returning the Leviathan Axe and Blades of Chaos while introducing additional abilities, equipment and encounters across the Nine Realms. The game subsequently reached PC as well, extending the Norse saga beyond its original PlayStation audience.
The Next Mainline Game Is God of War Laufey
The more interesting question in 2026 is no longer when Ragnarök is coming. It is what happens after it.
Santa Monica Studio answered part of that question in June 2026 by announcing God of War Laufey. The studio describes it as the next mainline entry in the God of War series, and the change in protagonist immediately gives the franchise a different perspective.
Faye has always occupied an unusual place in the modern games. She was absent before players began Kratos and Atreus’ journey in God of War (2018), yet her choices shaped almost everything that followed. Her history with the Giants, her relationship with Kratos and the trail she left for her family turned an unseen character into one of the foundations of the Norse saga.
God of War Laufey finally moves her from the edges of that story to its foreground.
Faye’s Story Begins After Her Death
The premise is an unexpected one. Following her funeral, Faye awakens in a strange afterlife and discovers that the plans she made to protect Kratos and Atreus are in danger.
Her journey takes her into the Everywhen, described by PlayStation as an afterlife of the gods. Here, dangerous magic fills a realm in which gods drawn from different mythologies compete for power. That concept potentially gives Santa Monica Studio considerably more mythological territory to explore than a straightforward return to the Nine Realms.
It also changes the emotional perspective. Players already know what Faye’s family means to her and what happens after her death. The tension now comes from seeing what she was prepared to do for them before Kratos and Atreus understood the full extent of her plans.
Faye Will Fight Differently From Kratos
Kratos is defined by weight. His modern combat has a physical heaviness to it: shields collide, axes bite into enemies and every close-range encounter feels grounded in force. Faye is being designed around a different rhythm.
Santa Monica Studio says her combat combines elements of the movement and fluidity associated with the Greek-era games with the character-driven approach and world-building of the Norse titles. Faye can move between ground and aerial combat, giving encounters greater verticality and speed.
Her identity as the Golden Hand of the Jötnar also provides abilities Kratos never possessed. Faye can manipulate souls, including striking an enemy hard enough to separate its soul from its body before attacking or using that soul during combat. It is a suitably strange mechanic for a game taking place beyond death.
What Happened to Kratos and Atreus?
For players expecting the next game to immediately continue the paths established at the end of Ragnarök, Laufey is a sharp turn. Its announcement does not mean that Kratos and Atreus have disappeared from the larger franchise, but Sony has not positioned this game as the straightforward Kratos-and-Atreus sequel many might have expected.
Instead, Faye’s attempt to protect them appears to provide the emotional connection to the familiar family story. How directly either character participates remains one of the questions Santa Monica Studio can preserve for later reveals.
God of War Returned to Greece in 2026 Too
Laufey is not the only reason 2026 has become a significant year for the franchise. In February, God of War Sons of Sparta was revealed and released for PS5 on the same day.
The canon 2D action platformer travels in the opposite direction through the timeline. It follows a young Kratos and his brother Deimos during their Spartan training at the Agoge, translating familiar God of War combat into hand-drawn pixel art and a side-scrolling format.
Santa Monica Studio also confirmed that the original Greek God of War trilogy is being remade. That project remains early in development, so substantial details have yet to be announced.
When Will God of War Laufey Be Released?
There is currently no confirmed release date for God of War Laufey. Sony has confirmed the game for PlayStation 5 and made it available to wishlist, but Santa Monica Studio has said more information will arrive as development moves closer to release.
That distinction matters. A release window should not be inferred simply because gameplay and story details have already been shown. Until Sony or Santa Monica Studio announces a date, God of War Laufey remains officially “coming soon.”
God of War Is Entering a Different Era
The original version of this article asked whether Kratos would fight Thor, whether Freya would seek revenge and what Atreus being Loki would mean. Those mysteries belonged to a particular moment in the franchise, when a single symbol and the words “Ragnarök is coming” were enough to keep fans speculating.
In 2026, the landscape is considerably larger. Ragnarök has happened. Young Kratos has returned through Sons of Sparta. The Greek trilogy is heading toward a remake. And the next mainline game is handing its weapons to a character whose presence has been felt throughout the modern saga despite spending most of it beyond the player’s reach.
For years, Faye was the person whose footsteps Kratos and Atreus followed. In God of War Laufey, players will finally get to follow her.