God of War Laufey: 12 Things to Know After the Delay to 20 May 2027

By the Filmoria News Desk

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God of War Laufey, the first mainline God of War game to star someone other than Kratos, now launches on 20 May 2027, exclusively on PS5. Santa Monica Studio announced the three-month delay from 16 February 2027 on 4 November 2026, saying the extra time is for “finishing touches”. UK pre-orders are open on the PlayStation Store at £69.99 for the Standard Edition and £79.99 for the Digital Deluxe Edition.

Pre-order God of War Laufey (PS5) on Amazon UK

This is a list of the 12 key things to know about God of War Laufey now that it has moved to 20 May 2027. We’ve put the practical details first (the delay, the platform, the price), then the story, the characters and the combat, and finished with the people making it, the marketing so far and the questions Sony still hasn’t answered.

1. The Delay to 20 May 2027 (Santa Monica Studio, 4 November 2026)

What makes it stand out: It’s a rare delay announced after pre-orders had already opened with a firm date, and it moves Sony’s biggest early 2027 release by more than three months.

Key data: The release date moved from 16 February 2027 to 20 May 2027, announced in a post on X on 4 November 2026.

Why it matters: Anyone who pre-ordered for February is now waiting until late spring, and the PS5 loses its headline exclusive for the first quarter of the year.

The statement itself was short. “We don’t take for granted the trust placed in the studio to make an extraordinary experience,” Santa Monica Studio wrote, before confirming that “we’ve made the decision to delay God of War Laufey’s release to May 20th, 2027.” The studio said it would “make the most of each moment until then by putting in the finishing touches” and promised to “be back to share more updates soon.”

That’s the whole official explanation. There’s no mention of a specific problem, and nothing in the wording suggests the game is in trouble. Santa Monica updated its own pre-order post on the PlayStation Blog the same day, so existing pre-orders carry over to the new date.

There’s also a scheduling upside. February 2027 was already busy, with Metro 2039 on 4 February and Atlus’ Persona 4 Revival on 18 February. May gives Faye more room to breathe.

2. Platform and UK Release (PS5 exclusive, 20 May 2027)

What makes it stand out: It’s the first new God of War adventure built only for PS5, with no PS4 version alongside it.

Key data: Out on 20 May 2027 on PlayStation 5 only; Sony’s promotional screenshots are labelled “Captured on PS5 Pro”.

Why it matters: If you skipped the PS5 and played Ragnarök on PS4, this is the game that finally asks you to upgrade.

God of War (2018) was a PS4 game, and Ragnarök in 2022 launched on both PS4 and PS5. Laufey drops the older console entirely. Every store listing we’ve seen, from the PlayStation Store to Push Square’s database, names PS5 and nothing else.

PC players will probably ask the obvious question. Both of the Norse games did eventually reach PC, but Sony hasn’t said a word about a PC version of Laufey, and we wouldn’t expect it to until well after launch. For now, treat it as a PS5 exclusive.

In the UK, the date is the same as everywhere else: 20 May 2027. Physical copies should be in UK shops that day, and the digital version unlocks on the PlayStation Store.

3. Faye Takes the Lead (Deborah Ann Woll, first non-Kratos lead)

What makes it stand out: After more than 20 years of Kratos, a mainline God of War game hands the controls to someone else.

Key data: Faye, whose full name is Laufey, is played by Deborah Ann Woll, reprising the role she took on in God of War Ragnarök.

Why it matters: It’s the biggest creative swerve the series has taken since it moved to Norse mythology in 2018.

Fans of the Norse games know Faye mostly as an absence. God of War (2018) opens with Kratos and Atreus cremating her, and the whole journey is about scattering her ashes from the highest peak in the realms. Over two games you learn she was a Jötunn, a giant, and that she’d planned far more than either of them realised. She was also the previous owner of the Leviathan Axe.

So making her the lead isn’t as random as it might first look. She’s a character the series has been building up for years without ever actually showing her in action. Santa Monica’s own line, from the reveal, is that “Faye has always been a formidable warrior in our story.”

The studio has also been careful to keep the God of War identity intact. The team says Laufey contains “all the core elements” that define a God of War game. That’s partly reassurance for fans who just want more Kratos. Faye is the hero, but this is still very much the same series.

4. Story and Setting: Waking Up in the Everywhen

What makes it stand out: The game starts after its hero’s death, in an afterlife built specifically for gods.

Key data: Faye wakes in a strange land after her funeral and discovers that her plans to protect Kratos and Atreus are at risk; the setting is the Everywhen, “the afterlife of the gods”.

Why it matters: It gives Santa Monica a way to tell a new story without undoing the ending of Ragnarök or dragging Kratos back into the spotlight.

Sony’s official pitch opens with a neat line: “Death was supposed to be the end, but for Laufey (Faye), warrior and wife to Kratos, a new adventure is just beginning.” From there, Faye has to fight her way through the Everywhen to protect her husband and son.

The Everywhen is described as the birthplace and endpoint of all magic, a realm above the known afterlives. Gods and creatures from different mythologies live there side by side, though not peacefully. Sony calls it either “paradise or prison”, and the early footage leans hard towards prison. Faye is captured early on and has to escape.

Game director Ariel Lawrence explained the core idea in a conversation with Cory Barlog released alongside the reveal. “We know what happens to the mortals when they die, but what happens to us?” she said, picking up a question Odin was obsessed with in Ragnarök. She also hinted that something is broken in the realm: “Magic isn’t flowing exactly the way that it should be.”

Game Informer describes the game as a parallel sequel to God of War (2018). In practice that means it runs alongside the Norse saga rather than simply following Ragnarök. Exactly where it fits on the timeline hasn’t been spelled out, and we’d expect Sony to keep some of that close to its chest until release.

5. Gods From Other Pantheons (Sekhmet, Begtse and more)

What makes it stand out: For the first time, a God of War game mixes gods from several mythologies in one setting.

Key data: Two gods have been shown so far: Sekhmet, the Egyptian war goddess, and Begtse, whose soldiers appear on the Collector Box statue; both are hostile to Faye.

Why it matters: The series has teased other pantheons for years, from Egyptian hints in the Norse games to fan theories about what came next, and the Everywhen finally delivers them.

Earlier games stuck to one mythology at a time: Greek, then Norse. Laufey’s premise breaks that. Because the Everywhen is where gods go when they die, it can hold deities “of all shapes, sizes, and cultural origins”, as Game Informer put it after the reveal.

Sekhmet is the headline name so far. She’s an Egyptian goddess and, fittingly, a god of war in her own pantheon, shown as an antagonist in the debut footage. Begtse comes from a different tradition altogether, Tibetan Buddhism, where he’s a protector deity. The Collector Box statue shows Faye, Phranque and Rue fighting Begtse’s soldiers, so they’re clearly a recurring enemy force.

Sony’s screenshots show more than just those two. One features a towering figure in an elaborate feathered headdress. Another has Faye firing at fiery creatures beneath a temple that looks East Asian in style. Santa Monica hasn’t named all of these yet, and we’d rather not guess. Still, the variety is striking.

6. Phranque and Rue (Jack Quaid and Perlina Lau)

What makes it stand out: Faye’s companions are a talking cube and a set of enchanted ribbons, which is a long way from Atreus and Mimir.

Key data: Jack Quaid voices Phranque, “a curious cosmic cube” with a sword stuck in it; Perlina Lau voices Rue, the ribbon guardian of that sword.

Why it matters: Companion banter carried a lot of the charm in the Norse games, and these two are set up to do the same job.

Phranque is described as earnest and protective, a character who’ll “do whatever it takes to protect his friends and the Everywhen’s creatures”. In the debut gameplay he helps Faye escape after she’s captured. He’s also part of the fighting. The pre-order details mention pairing Faye’s arrows with Phranque launching enemies into the air.

Rue is the guardian of a “devastatingly powerful sword” and is charged with keeping it away from the wrong hands. Faye has to earn Rue’s trust, then uses the blade to break out of her imprisonment. In combat, Rue’s ribbons extend from the sword’s hilt during strikes so Faye can hit enemies at a distance.

Jack Quaid is a well-known name, thanks to The Boys and Scream, and his casting suggests Phranque will bring some of the humour. Perlina Lau is less of a household name, but the role sounds like the more serious of the two.

7. Combat: Speed, Air Juggles and Soul Strikes

What makes it stand out: Faye fights faster and higher than Kratos ever did in the Norse games, with old Greek-era ideas brought back in.

Key data: Combat mixes one-handed swordplay with free-hand magic, lets Faye move between ground and air mid-fight, and uses the same over-the-shoulder camera as the Norse games.

Why it matters: The Norse games were heavy and deliberate, and a quicker, more airborne style should make Laufey feel different in your hands, not just on screen.

Sony’s line is that Faye’s combat is built on “speed, control, and relentlessness”. The aim was to “overwhelm even the fiercest of foes with decisive, deadly precision.” Kratos hits like a lorry. Faye, by the look of the footage, hits often and from every angle.

The return of aerial combat is the big one for long-time fans. Faye can launch enemies upwards and keep them juggled in the air, and she can move between the ground and the air without the flow of the fight stopping. Santa Monica says the system builds on the modern God of War combat but injects some “old school, classic DNA of the Greek era”. If you played the PS2 and PS3 games, that’ll sound familiar.

The most unusual mechanic ties into Faye’s identity. As the Golden Hand of the Jötnar, she can strike a foe’s golden palm to tear its soul free. Then she can attack the soul directly or knock it into other enemies. That’s where GamesRadar’s headline about hitting enemies “so hard their souls fly out” comes from.

Sony released a further combat video on 3 June, the day after the reveal. More detail followed in September with the pre-order announcement.

8. The Serpent Bow and Gear Customisation (detailed 28 September 2026)

What makes it stand out: Faye’s bow isn’t a separate ranged mode. It’s woven into her melee combos.

Key data: The Serpent Bow has a full-aim Precision mode that can charge up to five arrows and a half-aim Hip-fire mode for close-range clusters, plus rapid-fire, explosive and multi-target arrow types.

Why it matters: How the bow and sword play together will decide whether Faye’s combat feels deep over a full campaign, and this is the clearest look we’ve had.

Grace Orlady, communications director at Santa Monica, laid it out on the PlayStation Blog. “Faye is an expert warrior with the ability to harness a range of skills to command the flow of the battle,” she wrote. The Serpent Bow switches from dormant to notched very quickly, so you can mix arrow shots into sword attacks.

The two modes depend on how far you pull the trigger. Precision, the full aim, gives more accuracy and draw distance, and hitting specific body parts can slow enemies down or weaken their attacks. Hip-fire is the mobile, half-aim option. It sprays a cluster of arrows for heavy close-range damage, and it’s designed to keep airborne enemies juggled and stretch combos out.

Gear is split into four slots: Armor, for perks, stats and looks; the Blade, for the sword’s element; Scales, for the bow’s element; and Catalysts, which are magical artefacts with their own effects. Serpent Scales also change the bow’s appearance and add a perk, and some can be unlocked through skills.

It’s a more granular setup than Ragnarök’s, at least on paper.

9. Editions, Pre-Order Bonuses and UK Prices (from £69.99)

What makes it stand out: There’s no price hike here: the Standard Edition sits at the same £69.99 as Sony’s other big PS5 releases.

Key data: Standard Edition £69.99 / $69.99; Digital Deluxe Edition £79.99 / $79.99; a Digital Deluxe Upgrade is reported at $10; pre-orders opened on 29 September 2026.

Why it matters: With the delay, there’s now no rush to pre-order, so it’s worth knowing exactly what the extra £10 gets you.

Every pre-order, physical or digital, comes with the Last Wish Armor Set, the Phranque Golden Leaves appearance (a cosmetic for the cube) and an in-game resource pack. On the physical Standard Edition these arrive as a download code, which needs an internet connection and a PlayStation account. The armour and cosmetic unlock as you progress through the story, so you won’t get them on the first screen.

The Digital Deluxe Edition adds the Dark Alchemy set: an armour set, a blade, bow scales and a catalyst. It also includes a second resource pack, a digital mini artbook and the official digital soundtrack. Push Square lists the Deluxe as digital only, though one US outlet claims a disc version will appear at some retailers. We’d go with Sony’s own wording, which only mentions it as a digital edition.

UK retailers are already discounting. Currys has been listing the Standard Edition at £62.99 on pre-order, about 10% off the £69.99 RRP, and EE has listed the disc version at £65.99. Prices shift, so check before you buy.

10. The Collector Box (£129.99, game sold separately)

What makes it stand out: The centrepiece is an eight-inch Faye statue in which Phranque actually lights up.

Key data: £129.99 / $149.99 / €149.99, sold only direct from PlayStation in limited quantities, with pre-orders from 13 October 2026; the game is not included.

Why it matters: If you want the physical extras, you’ll be paying close to £200 once you add the game, so it’s very much a fans-only purchase.

The statue shows Faye, Phranque and Rue mid-fight against Begtse’s soldiers, and Phranque glows when the base is plugged into USB power. The box also holds a 51-card Oracle Deck illustrated by artist Megan Lara and a physical mini artbook of concept art.

In the UK it’s sold through PlayStation’s own hardware store, playstation.com/store/hardware, rather than through high-street retailers. The same applies across much of Europe, while US buyers use direct.playstation.com.

Sony is being upfront that the game itself is sold separately, and that’s important here. Some collector’s editions in the past have bundled the game; this one doesn’t. Pair it with the Digital Deluxe and you’re at £209.98 before any discounts.

11. The Team and the Next Kratos Game (Ariel Lawrence, Cory Barlog, SDCC 2026)

What makes it stand out: Laufey has a new game director, and Santa Monica has already confirmed that a Kratos-led follow-up is in development.

Key data: Ariel Lawrence is game director; Cory Barlog, the studio’s head of creative, confirmed at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2026 that a new mainline Kratos game is in the works and connects to Laufey’s story.

Why it matters: It means Laufey isn’t a side story you can safely skip. It sets up what comes next for the whole series.

Barlog directed God of War (2018) and remains the series’ most recognisable creative voice. Here, he’s in a supporting role, interviewing Lawrence alongside the reveal and fronting the Comic-Con panel. Lawrence has spoken about wanting a “uniquely fresh feel” for Faye that still meets what fans expect from the series.

The Comic-Con panel did two jobs. It set the original 16 February date, which has now been replaced, and it confirmed that Kratos will return as the lead of a future mainline game. Barlog didn’t reveal a title, platform or release window, and Gematsu, citing IGN, reported only that the next game will follow on from Faye’s story.

Laufey also isn’t the studio’s only project this year. Game Informer notes that Santa Monica released God of War Sons of Sparta, a 2D side-scrolling prequel, in February 2026. It also announced a God of War Trilogy Remake earlier in 2026. That’s a lot of God of War in a short space of time. Sony clearly sees the series as one of its biggest bets.

12. The Marketing So Far and What We Still Don’t Know

What makes it stand out: Sony has shown a lot of gameplay already, but some basic facts are still missing six months out.

Key data: Revealed at State of Play on 2 June 2026, combat video on 3 June, release date at SDCC in late July, pre-orders on 29 September, Collector Box on 13 October and the delay on 4 November.

Why it matters: The delay buys Sony time for another round of marketing, and fans will want the missing details before committing.

The campaign has been steady. The State of Play reveal on 2 June was a proper gameplay showing, not a cinematic tease, and it was followed the next day by a dedicated combat video. Comic-Con in July brought the release-date trailer and the Kratos news. September added pre-orders and the Serpent Bow breakdown, and October brought the Collector Box.

What’s missing? The PEGI rating hasn’t been published, and Sony’s edition artwork still carries a “rating pending” badge. There’s no official runtime or campaign length, no word on PS5 Pro modes, and no PC version. Sony also hasn’t shared accessibility options, though Ragnarök set a high bar there, or a review embargo date.

The studio’s own promise is simply that it will “be back to share more updates soon.” With The Game Awards in December and Sony’s usual spring State of Play still to come, there are plenty of chances to fill those gaps.

For a wider look at what else is on the way, our Upcoming Games round-up lists the other big releases. Our Fable guide covers Playground’s reboot, one of the other major names of early 2027.

Is God of War Laufey Worth the Wait?

On everything shown so far, yes. Faye is a character the series has been building up since 2018, the Everywhen gives Santa Monica a far bigger canvas than one pantheon, and the combat looks quicker and more playful than the Norse games without losing their weight. The delay is annoying, but it isn’t a red flag. Santa Monica has a strong record, and three extra months of polish on a game of this size is a sensible call. The real test is whether Faye can carry a full campaign as well as Kratos did, and we’ll find out on 20 May 2027. Until then, the £69.99 Standard Edition is the sensible pre-order, and there’s no rush to commit.

Sources: VGC (delay announcement), PlayStation Blog (editions, Serpent Bow, Collector Box), Gematsu (reveal and cast), Game Informer (State of Play reveal), Push Square (UK prices), Gematsu (new release date).

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