Talking Point: What Do You Want from God of War Maker Sony Santa Monica Next?

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For several years now, God of War Ragnarok and its exceptional roguelike expansion, Valhalla, have been released, leaving some enthusiasts wondering about the current projects of developer Santa Monica Studio.

Among Sony’s premier in-house game developers, this American studio is renowned for contributing to some of PlayStation’s top-tier games. They’ve been involved in two different periods of the God of War series, delving into both Greek and Norse mythologies.

Although there was a significant setback during the PS4 era, when the new project by God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen was cancelled, the development team made an incredible comeback with the rebooted God of War. This groundbreaking game solidified Kratos’ status among the greatest video game characters of all time.

However, this week, experienced writer Jason Schreier from Bloomberg sparked conversations when he shared tidbits about the upcoming studio project.

Contrary to popular belief, the team headed by experienced director Cory Barlog is not developing a new franchise, as some might have thought earlier.

The person mentioned stated that although the upcoming studio production is derived from an established property, it will seem fresh and original. Essentially, they’re planning a completely innovative interpretation of the source material, similar to the 2018 God of War remake.

So, what could it be?

Well this is the most searching question of all, because we have very little to go on.

In 2023, it appeared that former IGN journalist Alanah Pearce, now employed as a writer at Santa Monica Studio, hinted at her involvement in a science fiction video game project. This suggestion aligns with earlier statements made by Barlog, who expressed his desire to create a game within the sci-fi genre as well.

But this week Schreier rubbished those rumours, describing them as “nonsense”.

According to our viewpoint, we’re faced with two plausible scenarios: Either God of War is receiving another overhaul similar to the 2018 version, or Santa Monica Studio has delved into PlayStation’s historical collection and chosen a franchise they believe deserves a revisit.

It’s highly doubtful that God of War, being such a successful franchise, would branch out into lesser-known games like Kinetica or Downhill Domination, given that the previous two installments together sold approximately 40 million copies. However, Cory Barlog and his team might still have some intriguing ideas for these titles. Yet, it’s hard to imagine Sony approving such a shift in direction considering the massive success of Kratos’ last adventures.

It seemed plausible, considering the story’s conclusion and his character growth, that Atreus might have a solo adventure similar to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. However, with Ragnarok being so far in the past, it seems unlikely that such an idea would gain traction now.

It seems our assumption leans towards the ongoing development of the next main installment in the God of War series. There’s been chatter suggesting that Kratos might explore other mythologies, such as Egypt, which aligns with Schreier’s remarks implying a sense of novelty, despite it not necessarily being a completely new intellectual property.

Is what they’re planning appealing to you, or would you prefer Santa Monica Studio to create something totally different instead? Also, have your feelings about God of War remained strong since the events of Ragnarok?

Be sure to share your thoughts and predictions on Santa Monica Studio’s next project below.

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2025-07-16 19:06