Santa Monica Studio head of creative Cory Barlog has confirmed that a new mainline God of War game featuring Kratos is officially in development. The announcement came during the God of War Laufey panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, where Barlog let the details slip before quickly asking the audience to pretend they had not heard.
The report is based on comments from the San Diego Comic-Con panel, with the event details listed by PlayStation and the quoted remark reported by Game Rant.
"I was actually talking to the director of the next Kratos game earlier this week about all the different things that are going… oh ****, did I just announce the next Kratos game?" Barlog said during the panel. "Code of silence, people. I need everybody to just forget that you heard that, Kratos is in another game immediately after this, it directly connects to the events of Laufey."
The confirmation, reported by Game Rant, comes as welcome news for fans who were disappointed by the reveal of God of War Laufey at State of Play last month. That game centers on Faye, Kratos' wife, as the protagonist, marking the first time in the series' history that Kratos has not been the main character. The decision drew backlash from some corners of the community, though Faye actress Deborah Ann Woll responded by saying she was staying offline and remaining "totally unbothered" by the criticism.
Barlog's comments at Comic-Con suggest that Laufey is not a detour from Kratos' story but rather a direct setup for what comes next. The fact that the new Kratos game is already in development even before Laufey ships indicates that Santa Monica Studio has been planning the franchise's narrative arc across multiple titles.
The panel also confirmed God of War Laufey's release date: February 16, 2027. While no timeline was given for the subsequent Kratos game, the fact that development is already underway suggests it could arrive within a few years of Laufey's launch.
The announcement arrives during a busy period for the God of War franchise. A television adaptation at Sony Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios is in production, though it recently had to recast lead actor Ryan Hurst following a serious injury during filming. The replacement for Hurst as Kratos has not yet been announced.
Santa Monica Studio has not shared additional details about the next Kratos game, including its title, setting, or platform availability. Given the studio's track record with the 2018 God of War reboot and God of War Ragnarok, expectations will be high for whatever comes next.
