Santa Monica Studio, the team behind the critically acclaimed God of War series, is reportedly developing a bold new spinoff set within the God of War universe — and it appears to center on Faye, the enigmatic wife of Kratos and mother of Atreus. The project has been described as a new franchise within the established mythology, potentially reshaping how players experience the Norse saga’s lore from an entirely different perspective.
Speculation reached a tipping point over the weekend when a now-deleted LinkedIn profile from a former senior writer at the studio described their work as helping shape the creative direction of “a new franchise within the God of War universe.” Shortly after, well-known industry leaker NateTheHate corroborated the details, stating on X that the game would feature Faye as its lead character and lean more heavily into action compared to the Norse saga’s balance of combat and narrative exploration.
Faye, also known as Laufey, has been a pivotal yet largely unseen figure in the modern God of War storyline. The 2018 reboot opens with her death, and her final wish — to have her ashes scattered from the highest peak in the Nine Realms — drives the entire plot. God of War Ragnarök expanded her presence through dream sequences and flashbacks, revealing more about her past as a Jötunn warrior. A game built around her story would almost certainly serve as a prequel, likely with little direct involvement from Kratos, portrayed by Deborah Ann Woll in Ragnarök.
The reports align neatly with earlier comments from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who teased that Santa Monica’s next project was “not a new IP but it might feel like one.” Kratos voice actor Christopher Judge has also hinted that the studio plans to reveal its next title this summer. According to NateTheHate, the current timeline targets a formal announcement later this year with a release window in the first half of 2027, though delays are always possible in game development.
This spinoff appears to be part of a broader Sony strategy to expand God of War into a sprawling multimedia franchise. Schreier has previously reported that Sony envisions an MCU-style universe of sequels and spinoffs built around the property. That ambition is already taking shape: a God of War Trilogy Remake was announced during Sony’s February State of Play to bring Kratos’s original Greek adventures to modern hardware, and a live-action television adaptation is currently in production at Amazon Prime Video.
If the reports prove accurate, a Faye-led game could offer a fresh entry point into the franchise while enriching a character whose backstory has only been hinted at across two titles. With an action-forward approach and a protagonist players have never controlled before, the project seems designed to feel distinctly its own — even while drawing from one of PlayStation’s most beloved series.