Of the numerous PlayStation first-party developers, Santa Monica Studio is potentially at the top of the pack in terms of how prolific and successful it has been. Ever since the original God of War hit the PS2 in early 2005 the studio has cemented itself as a premier developer of top-tier action adventure games on PlayStation, rivaling only the likes of Naughty Dog and Insomniac as developers mastering many genres. In the hands of the extremely talented team at Santa Monica Studio, Kratos and company have gone on unforgettable adventures that can stand among the greats in the genre.
As fantastic as this series has been during its almost two-decade-long run on PlayStation consoles, this is unfortunately all Santa Monica Studio really has under its belt. Of course, these are landmark games that most developers would kill to have associated with its name, but at the same time, it's almost discouraging to see that Santa Monica Studio hasn't flexed its muscle outside of anything besides Kratos' journey. It would be beneficial for the company to dive into new territory as a fresh start, not to mention a plus for gamers to see what else this team can pull off.
Santa Monica Studio's Other Video Game Ambitions
Santa Monica Studio and God of War have graced every generation of PlayStation ever since the PS2. Since the beginning of the franchise, to the jump to HD on PS3 and an exciting series reboot on PS4, God of War has become iconic for the PlayStation brand since its inception. The studio has more than earned its name as a trustworthy team and cemented God of War as a must-play franchise for fans of epic fantasy and fast-paced action.
While these are victories, the team is too skilled and intelligent to be limited to only working on God of War games forever. The studio did try to make a new IP prior to the 2018 God of War reboot, but these plans sadly fell through. This canceled game was allegedly an open-world sci-fi game, and just the prospect of a studio with the pedigree of Santa Monica Studio working on a game similar to Starfield is an exciting thought.
Where Santa Monica Studio Could Be Headed After God of War
Whether the studio decides to revisit its canceled sci-fi project or create an entirely new IP, it should strive to explore new ideas going forward. Although God of War: Ragnarok does leave loose ends open for more stories, it can also be seen as a clean ending chapter for Kratos after his many years of hardships. It seems like a fitting time both in-game and in a real-world context, to let Kratos rest and try something new.
After all, Santa Monica Studios' fellow PlayStation first-party developers have all ventured into new territory, some more than once, over the many years of PlayStation history. To compare, in the PS2 era, Naughty Dog's main focus was the Jak and Daxter franchise. Since then, it has launched the Uncharted and The Last of Us series on PS3 and followed up both games with spectacular sequels on PS4.
Sucker Punch has similarly branched out by creating both inFamous and Ghost of Tsushima, both of which have gone on to critical acclaim. God of War: Ragnarok was a blockbuster hit, so if PlayStation wants more from the franchise, it makes sense.
However, Santa Monica Studio does have several external support groups that could be given the reigns to the franchise. Sucker Punch passed the torch to Sanzaru Games to develop a new Sly Cooper game years ago, so it's not uncommon and can still result in great experiences. With the release of God of War: Ragnarok still fairly recent, it remains to be seen what Santa Monica Studio plans to do next, but hopefully something fresh and exciting is on the horizon.
