Faye has been dead since 2018. Santa Monica Studio just made her the star of the next God of War.

At Sony’s June 2, 2026 State of Play, the studio revealed God of War Laufey. The reveal ran for nearly 20 minutes. Most of it was actual gameplay. Faye wakes up in the Everywhen, the afterlife of the gods. She is not happy to be there.

Here is the short version. God of War Laufey is the next mainline entry in the series. It stars Kratos’s wife Faye, voiced by Deborah Ann Woll (Daredevil). The game launches exclusively on PS5. Sony has not confirmed a release date yet. Wishlisting is open today on the PlayStation Store.

1. What Is God of War Laufey?

God of War Laufey is the next mainline God of War game from Santa Monica Studio. It launches exclusively on PlayStation 5. Sony has not confirmed a release date. The official wishlist page is live on the PlayStation Store as of June 2, 2026.

This is not a spin-off. Santa Monica explicitly calls it the next mainline entry. The game follows Faye, also known as Laufey. She is the late wife of Kratos and the mother of Atreus. Faye died before the events of the 2018 God of War game. She returns here as the playable protagonist.

Ariel Lawrence directs the project. Cory Barlog, the creative force behind the modern God of War reboot, serves as Head of Creative at Santa Monica Studio. The reveal trailer ran for almost 20 minutes. Most of that was direct gameplay, not cinematic edits.

2. The Story: Faye Wakes Up in the Afterlife of the Gods

The premise is sharp. Faye awakens unexpectedly after her own funeral. She finds herself in the Everywhen. Santa Monica describes it as the birthplace and endpoint of all magic. It sits above the afterlives of mortals. Gods and creatures from every mythology converge there.

Faye quickly learns the plans she made to protect Kratos and Atreus are now at risk. She has to fight her way out. The catch: the Everywhen does not let people leave easily. The natural flow of magic has been disrupted. Faye must uncover the truth about the realm to find her way home.

Two early antagonists appeared in the reveal trailer. Sekhmet, the Egyptian lion goddess. Begtse, a fierce deity from Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Both are hostile. Both treat Faye as an intruder. The presence of gods from non-Norse pantheons signals a major franchise expansion.

Why this matters: God of War (2005-2010) explored Greek mythology. God of War (2018) and Ragnarök moved to Norse. Laufey opens the door to Egyptian, Mongolian, and potentially every mythology Santa Monica wants to touch. The Everywhen is a meta-realm where any god can show up.

3. The Cast: Three Actors You Should Know

Santa Monica brought back Deborah Ann Woll and added two new headliners. Here is who plays who.

Deborah Ann Woll Returns as Faye

Woll first voiced Faye in 2022’s God of War Ragnarök. There, Faye appeared only in Kratos’s dreams. Laufey gives her the lead role. Woll is also famous for playing Karen Page in Marvel’s Daredevil and the recent Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.

Jack Quaid Voices a Talking Cube

Phranque is described as “a curious cosmic cube with an earnest disposition.” The trailer shows him as a gelatinous, sentient cube. Quaid is best known as Hughie Campbell in Amazon’s The Boys. He also led the 2022 Scream and Scream VI reboot films.

Perlina Lau Voices Rue

Rue is an enchanted ribbon guardian. She protects a legendary sword that Faye eventually wields. Lau is a Canadian voice actress and musician. Her involvement was confirmed by Santa Monica in the official announcement.

4. Combat: Speed, Control, and Soul Strikes

Faye does not fight like Kratos. That is by design.

Santa Monica describes her combat with three words: speed, control, relentlessness. She moves between ground and air without breaking the action. Enemy juggles happen mid-air. Hit chains keep flowing without pause. The studio calls it a blend of modern God of War (PS4 and PS5 era) and the older Greek-era titles.

The flagship ability is soul manipulation. Faye carries the title “Golden Hand of the Jötnar.” In the Everywhen, that magic is amplified. She can strike a foe with her golden palm. The hit detaches the enemy’s soul from its body. From there, Faye can attack the soul directly. She can knock it into other enemies. The studio promises deep combo potential built on this mechanic.

The New Weapon: A Sword with Ribbons

Faye’s primary weapon in the Everywhen is a sword. Originally guarded by Rue, the sword’s full power unlocks once Faye wields it. The ribbons attached to it give Rue’s character a literal connection to the blade. Trailer footage shows the sword also functions as a whip-like weapon thanks to the ribbons.

Worth noting: Faye is no stranger to legendary weapons. She was the original owner of the Leviathan Axe, the iconic weapon Kratos uses in the 2018 God of War and Ragnarök. The series has hinted at Faye’s combat skill for years. Ragnarök revealed she once fought Thor to a standstill.

5. The Everywhen: What It Is and Why It Matters

The Everywhen is the most important worldbuilding move in the announcement. It deserves more attention than the trailer gave it.

Santa Monica calls it “the birthplace and endpoint to which all magic returns.” Translation: this is the source code of magic in the God of War universe. It sits above the mortal afterlives of Norse, Greek, and other pantheons. Gods who die end up here. So do creatures and beings that no longer fit in their original realms.

During the 2022 game, Odin obsessed over one question: what happens to gods when they die? Laufey answers that question directly. The Everywhen is where they go. It is also where they keep fighting.

The realm has its own rules. Magic flow has been disrupted. Faye does not know why. Discovering the truth becomes a core mystery of the game. Santa Monica describes the Everywhen with a striking phrase: “Paradise or prison.”

6. Release Date, Platform, and Where to Wishlist

Here are the practical details confirmed at State of Play.

Wishlisting is open now. Add it to your queue on the PlayStation Store to get notified when pre-orders and a release date go live. The reveal trailer is available on PlayStation’s YouTube channel.

7. Why This Reveal Is a Big Deal

Three things make this announcement bigger than a typical God of War sequel.

• Faye is finally playable. Fans have wanted to see Faye in action since 2018. She is the most important off-screen character in the modern series. Hearing she could beat Thor to a standstill in Ragnarök only raised the demand.
• The franchise is going multi-mythology. The series moved from Greek (2005-2010) to Norse (2018-2022). Laufey introduces Egyptian and Mongolian gods. Fans have speculated about Egyptian and Mayan eras for years. The Everywhen is the device that makes it all possible.
• 20 minutes of real gameplay. Most franchise reveals show a teaser. Santa Monica showed an extended chunk of actual play. That is unusual for a reveal trailer. It suggests development is further along than fans expected.

Worth flagging: No release date yet means "coming soon" likely means 2027 at the earliest. Major Santa Monica titles have historically taken 4 to 5 years between releases. Ragnarök shipped in November 2022. A 2027 launch fits that pattern.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does God of War Laufey release?

Sony has not announced a release date. The PlayStation Blog and official Store page list the title as “coming soon.” Based on Santa Monica Studio’s historical 4 to 5 year development cycles, a 2027 launch window is the most likely estimate. Sony will confirm the date closer to launch.

Is God of War Laufey a PlayStation 5 exclusive?

Yes. Santa Monica Studio confirmed PS5 as the exclusive launch platform. A PC port could follow later, since both God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök eventually came to Windows. PlayStation typically waits 18 to 30 months after the PS5 launch before bringing first-party titles to PC.

Who plays Faye in God of War Laufey?

Deborah Ann Woll voices Faye. She returns to the role after voicing the character in 2022’s God of War Ragnarök, where Faye appeared only in Kratos’s dreams. Woll is also famous for playing Karen Page in Marvel’s Daredevil and the 2025 reboot Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.

Is Kratos in God of War Laufey?

Santa Monica has not confirmed Kratos’s role. The reveal trailer focuses entirely on Faye in the Everywhen. The story premise involves Faye trying to protect Kratos and Atreus, who appear to be back in the mortal realms. Expect Kratos to appear in some capacity, but Laufey is Faye’s story.

What is the Everywhen in God of War Laufey?

The Everywhen is the afterlife of the gods. Santa Monica describes it as the birthplace and endpoint of all magic. It sits above the mortal afterlives of every mythology. Gods, creatures, and magical beings from different pantheons converge there. The realm answers a question Odin obsessed over in Ragnarök: what happens to gods when they die.

Will God of War Laufey explore Egyptian mythology?

Yes, at least partly. Two of the antagonists shown in the reveal trailer are Sekhmet (Egyptian lion goddess) and Begtse (a Mongolian and Tibetan Buddhist deity). The Everywhen brings gods from multiple mythologies together. This is the first time the God of War franchise has formally moved beyond Greek and Norse content.

Can Faye really beat Thor?

Yes, in the established lore. God of War Ragnarök revealed Faye once fought Thor to a standstill. As the Golden Hand of the Jötnar (the most powerful protector of the Giants), Faye is one of the strongest mortals in the franchise. Laufey makes this combat ability central to gameplay.

Is God of War Laufey a spin-off?

No. Santa Monica Studio explicitly describes it as the next mainline entry in the God of War series. It continues the saga that started with the 2018 reboot. The game does not have a numbered title, but it is the third major release of the modern God of War era after the 2018 game and Ragnarök.

Where can I watch the God of War Laufey reveal trailer?

The full reveal trailer is on PlayStation’s official YouTube channel. It runs nearly 20 minutes and includes extended gameplay footage. The PlayStation Blog also hosts the announcement with screenshots, behind-the-scenes interviews with Game Director Ariel Lawrence and Head of Creative Cory Barlog, and a separate video introducing Faye.