Sony Santa Monica Studio, the developer behind the critically acclaimed God of War franchise, is reportedly expanding the universe with a new intellectual property (IP) set within the existing mythology. The development was revealed through a now-deleted LinkedIn profile of a former narrative writer at the studio, according to reports first surfacing on Resetera and subsequently covered by Video Games Chronicle.
The profile detailed five years spent “shaping narrative vision and creative direction” for a “new franchise within the God of War universe,” focusing on character development, storyline creation and original lore. The writer’s description emphasized integrating narrative with gameplay mechanics and world-building to deliver emotional experiences for a global audience.
The potential expansion aligns with previous reporting by Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, who indicated Sony had considered building a broader, interconnected universe around the God of War IP, akin to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Schreier alluded to the project in a recent post, suggesting the current developments are consistent with his earlier reporting. He had previously speculated about potential spin-offs, including a game centered on Kratos’ son, Atreus.
This potential new franchise emerges following the cancellation of a live-service God of War game in development at Sony’s Bluepoint Games studio in 2023. Bluepoint Games itself was subsequently absorbed into Sony Interactive Entertainment in February 2024. The cancelled project was reportedly intended to feature Atreus as the primary playable character.
Santa Monica Studio’s most recent release was God of War Ragnarök in 2022. Creative director Cory Barlog, who led development on the 2018 God of War reboot, stepped back from directing duties for Ragnarök and is currently working on an unannounced project. Actor Christopher Judge, who portrays Kratos, recently hinted at a new game announcement this summer, further fueling speculation about Santa Monica Studio’s next title.
Alongside potential new IPs, Santa Monica Studio is also actively developing a remake of the original God of War trilogy. The studio announced the project during a recent State of Play presentation, cautioning that development is in its early stages and updates will be limited for the foreseeable future.
