God of War Developer’s Next Game Might Not Be What Fans Expect

It seems that the next game from Santa Monica Studio, the developer behind God of War and God of War Ragnarok, might not be what fans have expected. Since releasing GoW Ragnarok in 2022, Santa Monica Studio has widely been assumed to be working on a new IP of some sort. This belief was seemingly confirmed in 2024 when one member of the company outright stated that a new IP is what SMS is toiling away on behind the scenes. Despite this previous claim, one video game insider with credible knowledge has now come forward and shot down this notion.

According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, Santa Monica Studio’s next project, which is being helmed by God of War director Cory Barlog, isn’t a new IP after all. Schreier didn’t say much about what the game’s true nature is, but he specified that, based on his own sources, the title is set in the world of a currently established IP. He went on to also indicate that the game also isn’t tied to the science fiction genre, which has also been widely believed by fans over the past few years.

“I’ll put it this way: it’s not a new IP but it might feel like one,” Schreier said on the forum Resetera. “Maybe that’s why people are confused. […] And that the sci-fi stuff (that people have apparently believed for years now?) is nonsense.”

Assuming that Schreier’s information here is accurate (which it almost certainly is), it raises plenty of questions about what Santa Monica Studio is working on. One option would be that the company is collaborating with an outside entity on a licensed property, similar to how fellow PlayStation studio Insomniac Games works with Marvel on its Spider-Man series. Conversely, Santa Monica Studio could be tapping into PlayStation’s long history and is working on bringing back a franchise that hasn’t been heard from in many years.

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Whatever the case might be, Schreier noted that this mysterious project is “going well” based on when he last heard about it a month ago. He also made clear that the title is indeed being directed by Barlog and will end up being Santa Monica Studio’s next major release. As for when that release could happen, well, that’s left a mystery for the time being, but it sounds as though the game is being developed for PS5 and not a future PlayStation console.

Outside of this new venture, Santa Monica Studio is expected to continue working on the God of War series in some capacity. Rumors about a new God of War game have been swirling throughout 2024 and 2025, but at this point, nothing official has come about when it comes to what’s next for Kratos.