God of War Laufey — Everything known so far

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The June 2026 State of Play broke livestreaming viewership records, fueled by a lineup of high-profile announcements. One of the biggest talking points from the showcase was God of War Laufey, Santa Monica Studio’s newly revealed spin-off/prequel to the Norse saga.

Fans of the iconic franchise have spent the past 24 hours debating what to expect from the game, from its story direction to how it could expand the God of War universe. While an exact release date has yet to be announced, here’s everything we know so far about the next God of War title.

When will God of War Laufey be released?

While Deborah Ann Woll reprises her role as Laufey, Santa Monica Studio has not revealed a release date for the game. The studio has only confirmed that the project is in development, though one industry insider has suggested that it could arrive sooner than fans expect.

Who is Laufey in God of War? Did she have a hidden identity?

Laufey, more commonly referred to as “Faye” by Kratos and also known as Laufey the Just, was a Frost Giant from Jötunheim. In the God of War series, she is introduced as Kratos’ second wife and the mother of Atreus, also known as Loki.

Her death in the opening moments of 2018’s God of War sets the entire Norse saga in motion, as her final wish was for her ashes to be scattered from the highest peak in all the realms.

The lore surrounding Laufey is essential to understanding the God of War Norse saga. Although she is never seen alive in the games, her influence serves as the driving force behind Kratos and Atreus’ entire journey.

Kratos knew Faye as a human warrior for most of their life together. Only later in the journey is it revealed that she was actually a formidable Jötunn warrior.

• The Guardian of the Giants: Faye was highly respected among her people for her strength and her role in protecting the Giants from the wrath of Thor and Odin.
• The Leviathan Axe: The iconic weapon Kratos wields throughout the Norse games was actually Faye's weapon. She gifted it to Kratos, knowing that his path would eventually lead him to conflict with the Aesir gods.

Laufey orchestrated Kratos and Atreus's paths

One of the most compelling aspects of Laufey’s character is how carefully she shaped Kratos and Atreus’ journey before it even began.

In the final areas of Jötunheim, it is revealed that Faye painted the murals predicting the pair’s arrival. She knew Kratos’ past and Atreus’ true nature as Loki, guiding them from beyond the grave so they would reach the right place at the right time to set Ragnarök in motion.

Even without appearing on screen, Faye is the figure who steered Kratos away from his past as a bloodthirsty Spartan and pushed him toward becoming the father Atreus needed.

Laufey the Just and her Norse mythology origins

In original Norse mythology, Laufey, also known as Nál, is indeed the mother of Loki. However, the God of War series takes major creative liberties with her personality, role, and power level. Santa Monica Studio transformed her from a relatively minor mythological figure into a tactical mastermind whose decisions shaped the entire Norse saga.

Faye must confront the gods in God of War Laufey

Death was supposed to mark the end of Faye’s journey, but instead, it became the beginning of a new adventure. After her funeral, she awakens unexpectedly in a strange land and discovers that the plans she put in place to protect Kratos and Atreus are now at risk.

To save the ones she loves, Faye must fight through the afterlife of the gods — the Everywhen — where ruthless deities from across mythology vie for power in a realm overflowing with dangerous magic. Along the way, she is joined by Frank, a quirky talking gelatinous cube.

God of War lore has already established that both Faye and Kratos are capable of hitting hard and enduring brutal punishment. As a result, Santa Monica Studio has focused on giving Faye a fresh gameplay identity, with combat designed to feel distinct from Kratos while still meeting the high expectations fans have for the series.

God of War series viewership

Among the eight games available in the Streams Charts Twitch database, 2022’s God of War: Ragnarök holds the highest all-time peak viewership of any title in the legendary franchise. The critically acclaimed action-adventure sequel to 2018’s God of War reached 477,232 Peak Viewers on its release day, November 9, 2022.

Most popular God of War games on Twitch by Peak Viewers

The 2018 entry follows with 292,638 Peak Viewers, recorded on its launch day of April 20, 2018. God of War II, part of the original PlayStation 2-era series, is the only other title in the franchise to surpass 100,000 Peak Viewers. It reached 134,747 PV on January 7, 2019, driven by renewed attention around the 17th Annual Game Audio Network Guild Awards.

God of War Laufey is currently in development and has not been given a release date. Streams Charts will nevertheless continue to monitor the news around this much-anticipated title and update its readers with any new information in its news section.

Header image via Sony/PlayStation Blog