Yesterday’s State of Play ended with over 20 minutes of footage from God of War Laufey, Santa Monica Studio’s new spin-off starring Kratos’ wife Faye, who died shortly before the beginning of the 2018 God of War reboot.
What was shown off appears to be the very beginning of the game, and there’s actually quite a bit to unpack in just this early segment. You got a few minutes to break down the whole thing? Let’s dive in.
⚔️ Quick Overview: God of War Laufey follows Faye after her death, awakening in a mysterious afterlife realm called “The Everywhen” — a melting pot of gods and creatures from multiple mythologies. She must fight her way through Mongolian, Egyptian, and other pantheons to find her purpose.
8 Big Takeaways
| # | Key Takeaway | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not a Prequel — A Parallel Story | Faye awakens in an unknown world after her cremation. Her story runs parallel to Kratos and Atreus’ journey, not before it. |
| 2 | Connections to Both Norse Games | Faye finds a mask similar to the Mask of Creation from Ragnarok, hinting she may influence events from the “other side.” |
| 3 | Faye Is More Nimble Than Kratos | Double jumps, juggling combos, and magical abilities — Faye plays very differently from her husband. |
| 4 | She’s Not Alone | A small dragon-like creature guides her early on — the first hint of multiple mythologies in this world. |
| 5 | Gods From Multiple Mythologies | She encounters Begtse (Mongolian god of war) and Sekhmet (Egyptian goddess of war), confirming a convergence of pantheons. |
| 6 | New Companions: Phranque & Rue | A gelatinous cube (voiced by Jack Quaid) and a sentient ribbon called Rue join her — fans are already speculating about their origins. |
| 7 | The Everywhen — The Afterlife of Gods | This is where gods go when they die. Faye briefly encounters a vision of Kratos, possibly from Ragnarok. |
| 8 | Full-Powered Faye Kicks Ass | Once she accepts her death, Faye taps into her full magical strength and wields Rue’s mystery sword — proving why Kratos praised her as a warrior. |
Characters & Mythologies Introduced
| Character / Entity | Mythology / Origin | Role in Trailer |
|---|---|---|
| Faye (Laufey) | Norse | Protagonist — awakens in the Everywhen after her death |
| Begtse | Mongolian | God of war — imprisons Faye, hints at the nature of the Everywhen |
| Sekhmet | Egyptian | Goddess of war — stops Begtse from killing Faye, leaves to handle a “problem” |
| Phranque | Unknown (fan theories: Chinese mythology) | A gelatinous cube companion — voiced by Jack Quaid |
| Rue | Unknown (fan theories: Leizu / Nezha’s sash) | A sentient ribbon wrapped around a sword — helps Faye in combat |
| Kitsune | Japanese | Seen being subdued in the prison camp |
| Dragon-like creature | Unknown | Guides Faye early on — resembles East Asian depictions of dragons |
Key Details
📍 The Everywhen
Phranque calls this place “the Everywhen.” It’s the afterlife of the gods, and when they die, they all end up here. However, it may also still have some connections to the living world. Once Faye is able to break out of her cage by igniting an explosive, she has a very brief encounter with what seems to be Kratos, who helps her off the ground in the rubble before he disappears.
“She says that if there is ‘another mask,’ then the path she sent Kratos and Atreus on may not be safe.”
⚡ Combat Differences
Faye is much more agile than Kratos — she has a double jump and is generally more light on her feet. Her combat kit focuses on juggling enemies in the air and using magical abilities. She also wields Rue’s mystery sword, which Begtse hints has more power than she realizes.
🔮 The Mystery Sword
Some fans are theorizing it could be Excalibur, pulled from a body of water as depicted in some mythologies — possibly creating Phranque when it was removed through some magical force.
⚔️ Final Word: God of War Laufey is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious entries in the series — a god-of-war spin-off that spans multiple mythologies, features a completely new combat style, and connects to the Norse games in unexpected ways. No release date yet, but the speculation is already in full swing.
