God of War Laufey is not the end of Kratos-led God of War games. Santa Monica Studio head of creative Cory Barlog said Kratos will remain part of the series' future, even as the next PS5 entry puts Faye in the lead.
The comment answers one of the biggest questions raised after God of War Laufey was revealed as a Faye-focused mainline game. Laufey is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and available to wishlist, but it does not yet have a release date.
Kratos is not being replaced by Faye
Barlog discussed the series' future during a PlayStation interview with God of War Laufey game director Ariel Lawrence after the State of Play reveal. He described Faye's game as one branch of a series that can follow more than Kratos, not a clean break from him.
"Faye is, while it’s a different thing, it’s still part of the larger tapestry of what we truly want to explore, all these different characters in there. But there’s always going to be Kratos games throughout the whole history."
Lawrence also said she expected to work on another Kratos story when she returned to Santa Monica Studio in 2021, before learning Laufey would center on Faye. She added that the studio still has more to tell with Kratos, although neither developer announced a specific post-Laufey game.
That caveat is important. Barlog's wording confirms the studio's intent, but it does not reveal a title, release window, platform plan or story pitch for the next Kratos-led entry.
Laufey still keeps Kratos close to the story
PlayStation's official Laufey reveal frames the game around Faye after her death, when she wakes in the Everywhen, an afterlife for gods where figures from different mythologies exist together. Her journey is tied directly to Kratos and Atreus because the plans she left behind to protect them are now at risk.
That setup lets Santa Monica Studio widen God of War beyond Kratos as the playable lead without cutting him out of the series. Laufey also keeps several familiar pillars in place, including brutal combat, exploration and a story-led structure. PlayStation says Faye's fighting style mixes the weight of the modern God of War games with faster movement and air combat inspired by the Greek-era entries.
The studio has already confirmed Deborah Ann Woll returns as Faye, with Jack Quaid as Phranque and Perlina Lau as Rue. Kratos will have a supporting presence, but Laufey is being presented as Faye's story first.
God of War Laufey is the next PS5 entry and Faye is its lead. Santa Monica Studio is still leaving room for Kratos to return to the spotlight later.