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

It’s been quite some time since God of War Ragnarok and its excellent roguelike expansion Valhalla launched, prompting some enthusiasts to speculate about what developer Santa Monica Studio is engaged in currently.

Being one of Sony’s premier first-party development teams, the American studio has contributed to some of PlayStation’s greatest titles, spanning two epochs of God of War, encompassing both Greek and Norse legends.

Although the studio experienced a significant challenge during the PS4 generation, when God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen’s new IP was halted, it made a remarkable comeback with a rebooted God of War, solidifying Kratos’ status among the all-time gaming legends.

This week, however, insightful Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier stirred up discussions by revealing some information regarding the studio’s forthcoming project.

The most significant detail is that the team, headed by experienced director Cory Barlog, is not embarking on a new franchise as many previously speculated.

He indicated that although the studio’s next endeavor is rooted in an established franchise, it might “feel” like something fresh. In essence, it’s a completely distinct interpretation of existing content, similar to 2018’s God of War reboot.

So, what could it potentially be?

This question is indeed the most probing one, as we possess very little information to inform us.

In 2023, former IGN writer Alanah Pearce, who joined Santa Monica Studio as a writer, appeared to hint that she was involved in developing a sci-fi game. This aligned with earlier statements from Barlog, who expressed interest in creating something within that genre as well.

However, this week, Schreier dismissed those speculations, labeling them as “nonsense.”

In our view, there appear to be two possibilities: God of War may receive another reboot akin to the 2018 version, or Santa Monica Studio has delved into PlayStation’s archives to resurrect a franchise they deem worthy of revisiting.

Considering the massive success of the God of War series, though, the latter seems improbable. While we’re confident Barlog and his team could create something intriguing with titles like Kinetica and Downhill Domination, it’s hard to imagine Sony approving either option when Kratos’ last two releases sold approximately 40 million copies combined.

We often thought, based on how the narrative concluded and how much he developed as a character, that Atreus could have his own independent journey, somewhat akin to Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales. But now it seems we are too distant from Ragnarok’s release to realistically make that happen.

Thus, our speculation is that the next installment of God of War is currently in production. Rumors have long suggested Kratos exploring various mythologies like Egyptian, which would undoubtedly align with Schreier’s remarks about this “feeling” like a fresh title, even if it technically isn’t.

Would that be sufficient to attract you, though? Would you prefer Santa Monica Studio to create something wholly original? And how is your enthusiasm for God of War evolving in the years succeeding Ragnarok?

Make sure to express your opinions and predictions regarding Santa Monica Studio’s upcoming project below.