When Sony’s PlayStation State of Play kicked off on June 2, 2026, nobody expected the final reveal to hit this hard. After hours of announcements, Santa Monica Studio dropped something the God of War community had been quietly hoping for — a full gameplay reveal of God of War Laufey, a standalone PS5 game starring none other than Faye herself.
The studio that gave us Kratos’s Norse comeback is now handing the controller to the woman behind it all. And from what we saw in that reveal, Faye is not playing around.
What Is God of War Laufey?
God of War Laufey is the next mainline entry in Sony’s God of War franchise — but this time Kratos is not the playable character. Instead, we step into the shoes of Laufey (Faye), Kratos’s deceased wife and Atreus’s mother. Long-time fans only knew Faye through mentions and memories. She was dead before the 2018 game even began. Santa Monica Studio clearly had bigger plans for her.
Story: Death Was Supposed to Be the End
The story picks up right after Faye’s death. Instead of simply fading into nothing, she wakes up in a strange realm — the afterlife of the gods, called The Everywhen. Something has gone very wrong with the flow of magic, and Faye quickly realizes her plans to protect Kratos and Atreus from beyond death are now at serious risk.
The story runs parallel to God of War (2018) and Ragnarök. While Kratos and Atreus were spreading Faye’s ashes and fighting Norse gods, Faye was fighting her own war in the afterlife — simultaneously. That single idea gives the entire Norse saga a completely new layer.
The Everywhen: A Brand New World
The Everywhen is the most exciting new location in the God of War universe since the Norse realms were introduced. It’s described as the birthplace and endpoint where all magic returns — a transcendent realm above all the worlds we’ve seen so far. Gods from multiple mythologies share this space, not always peacefully. The gameplay trailer showed environments that are breathtaking — ethereal landscapes, impossible architecture, a place that exists outside of time.
Gameplay: Faster, Flashier, Deadlier
Faye is NOT Kratos. She plays completely differently, and that’s intentional.
- Enhanced Mobility: Faye moves seamlessly between ground and air combat without halting the action.
- Her Weapon: A powerful sword replaces the Leviathan Axe, with fast, elegant strikes that chain into combos.
- Chakra Abilities: Faye can hurl and recall chakra-like projectiles, adding a satisfying ranged layer.
- Feather Prism Form: A transformation that grants enhanced mobility and ethereal attacks that phase through enemy defenses.
- Executions: Chain dodges into brutal combos and close the fight with a signature execution that is pure style.
New Characters You Need to Know
Phranque — The Cosmic Cube
One of Faye’s companions is a cosmic cube with an earnest personality, voiced by Jack Quaid (The Boys). Phranque will do whatever it takes to protect his friends — and the gameplay showed he can literally function as a trampoline for Faye’s combat. It’s weird, unexpected, and looks brilliant.
Rue — The Enchanted Ribbon Guardian
Played by Perlina Lau, Rue is an enchanted ribbon guardian on a mission to keep a powerful sword from falling into the wrong hands. She’s the emotional anchor of the group — grounded where Phranque is chaotic.
Multiple Mythologies Return
Multiple mythologies collide in The Everywhen:
- Egyptian Mythology: Sekhmet and Begtse appear in the trailer — both very hostile toward Faye.
- Mongolian-Inspired Enemies: Spotted in gameplay footage, suggesting another mythology thread.
- Norse Connections: The story ties directly into the Norse saga, keeping that thread alive.
Release Window & Platform Info
God of War Laufey is a PS5 exclusive. No exact date confirmed yet, but reliable sources point to the first half of 2027. The game is already on the PlayStation Store wishlist. A PC release hasn’t been announced, but given that both GoW 2018 and Ragnarök came to PC eventually, it’s only a matter of time.
JoystickVerse First Look Verdict
God of War Laufey is shaping up to be one of the most exciting PS5 games on the horizon. Santa Monica Studio is taking a real creative risk — swapping Kratos for a character many players have never met — and from what we've seen, they're pulling it off. The combat looks spectacular, the world is fresh, and the story premise is genuinely clever. This isn't a spin-off. This is the next God of War. Wishlist it now and watch this space — we'll cover every new reveal as it drops.