State of Play: God of War laufey is the Next Mainline Series Installment

It's no laufing matter as Kratos' wife takes the spotlight.

In a surprise reveal during the recent State of Play showcase, Sony unveiled the next installment in its venerable God of War series and, well, it wasn't quite what anyone was expecting. Rather than bring fans more Kratos, the series' star, the focus this time will instead be on his wife Faye (the nominal Laufey), played once more by actress Deborah Ann Woll. First, let's check out the trailer for God of War Laufey:

Needless to say, Laufey isn't likely to be anything similar to previous Kratos adventures (especially anything from God of War 1-3). Still, that doesn't mean it isn't going to try its hardest to be worthy of the title. According to Sony, Laufey aims to maintain the core tennets of brutal combat, exploration, and story. Here's a bit more about the game straight from Sony:

Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning. Awakening unexpectedly in a strange land after her funeral, Faye discovers the plans she put in place to protect Kratos and Atreus are now at risk. To save the ones she loves, Faye must fight through the afterlife of the gods — the Everywhen — where ruthless gods from across mythology vie for power in a land overflowing with dangerous magic.

Fan reaction has been pretty split here, as many consider this a God of War title in name only, regardless of Faye's position has Kratos' wife. New characters like the gelatinous cube Phranque (played by Jack Quaid) have many an eyebrow raised, for instance, as it doesn't exactly evoke gratuitious bloodshed and sex, or at the very least the earnestness of the latter series installments. Others, meanwhile, think that it's worth giving the design team a chance to see if Laufey can live up to the high standard that the God of War series is known for. God of War Laufey is coming soon to PlayStation 5.

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Source: Sony Press Release + State of Play Broadcast 06.02.26