Santa Monica Studio unveiled its next two God of War projects at San Diego Comic-Con, with game director Ariel Lawrence and studio head Cory Barlog revealing that Laufey will launch February 16, 2027, followed by a separate Kratos-led title that will expand on the Faye storyline.
The panel brought together the game's voice cast: Deborah Ann Woll as Laufey, Chris Judge as Kratos, Jack Quaid as Phranque, and Perlina Lau as Rue. Barlog framed the Faye game as both a continuation of established lore and a bridge to what comes next in the franchise. "Everything we are doing in the Faye game is a continuation of what came before and to set up and expand what comes next," he said.
Woll described her character as a reluctant hero in the vein of John McClane from Die Hard, someone who will save the day but isn't seeking the spotlight. Judge, who has played Kratos since the role's debut 13 years ago, reflected on Faye's foundational importance to his character's arc. "I always thought that Faye was the genesis of the change of Kratos," Judge explained. "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."
Quaid, who voices Phranque, said the character remains largely ignorant of his own past, forcing him to live in the present moment. The actor, a longtime PlayStation fan since Crash Bandicoot, said he was thrilled to land the role. "I'm on a Zoom with Cory and Ariel and they told me I'm gonna be a cube," he recalled, noting his willingness to follow the creative team's direction wherever it leads.
Lau shared the surreal experience of receiving her casting offer. After an audition and chemistry test with Woll that led to radio silence, she was stunned to see an email notification while sitting in her car. "I got in the car one weekend put my phone out saw the email headline," she said. "Saw the offer and threw my phone down. I was like omg I can't tell anyone. It's been pretty life changing."
Woll, who hadn't played video games in roughly a decade, said she watched 2018's God of War in its entirety when it launched. Being part of the franchise herself now felt surreal. "I'm pinching myself that I get to be on this panel at all," she said.
Barlog emphasized the studio's vision to expand the game's world with unexpected character encounters. "Everything in the game is setting up for something so amazing," he added. The announcement of a follow-up Kratos game arriving after Laufey signals Santa Monica's commitment to extending this narrative chapter beyond the February release.
Author Emily Chen: "Two God of War games on the horizon means the franchise is doubling down on this Faye era, and Judge's comments about her role in Kratos' redemption suggest the next installment won't be a simple prequel but a genuine reckoning with the character's past."
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