Highlights

  • The next God of War game could be in development and may involve a major creative figure from past games, leaving open the possibility for Kratos or Atreus to continue their journey.
  • Santa Monica Studio has reportedly been hiring for another project, leading many gamers to speculate that it could be a new God of War game, possibly as DLC for Ragnarok or a smaller expansion game.
  • Ariel Lawrence, a Game Director who has worked on previous God of War titles, has returned to Santa Monica Studio and may be involved in the development of the mysterious post-Ragnarok project, suggesting the potential for something big.

The next God of War game could be further along than anyone could have guessed, and it might involve a major creative figure from past games. While Santa Monica Studio has stated that last year’s God of War Ragnarok is the final chapter in Kratos’s Norse saga, its ending does leave a few narrative plot threads open for a future installment, with either Kratos returning in yet another mythical land or his son Atreus stepping into the lead role on his own quest to uncover the truth behind his Giant heritage.

There was already speculation of another God of War game even before Ragnarok launched on the PlayStation 5 last winter, as Santa Monica Studio reportedly started hiring for another project several months prior. Many gamers have assumed that this is a new God of War project, with leakers claiming that it is either DLC for Ragnarok or a smaller “expansion” game in the vein of Spider-Man: Miles Morales or Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. More recent rumors suggest that this new God of War Ragnarok follow-up could be revealed as early as December’s Game Awards 2023 event.

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A major clue might be found in the LinkedIn page for Ariel Lawrence, a Game Director who has been a part of the God of War series as far back as the PlayStation 2 era. She initially served as an assistant producer and writer for God of War 2 and God of War 3 before stepping into the role of producer for 2013’s God of War Ascension. Lawrence then departed Santa Monica Studio to work as a writer for Riot Games, where she helped craft the narratives for League of Legends and two animated Tales of Runeterra short films.

God of War: Ascension

Lawrence eventually returned to Santa Monica Studio as a writer in July 2021 before starting work as a Game Director the following April, around the same time that Santa Monica reportedly started hiring staff for its post-God of War Ragnarok project. While she was listed in the credits for 2018’s God of War reboot for “additional development support,” she doesn’t appear to have worked on God of War Ragnarok in any capacity. This suggests that she has been instead working on Santa Monica’s mystery game, and given her pedigree this project is likely something big if she is indeed involved.

Of course, none of this confirms that Ariel Lawrence is working on Santa Monica Studio’s next game or that said game is any kind of follow-up to God of War Ragnarok, but it certainly wouldn’t be outside her wheelhouse given her experience writing and producing the PS3-era titles like God of War 3 and Ascension. Fans will still have to keep their eyes peeled for any official news regarding the next God of War game, as rumors suggest that Kratos could return to the PS5 sooner rather than later.