God of War 6 is officially in development, with Kratos confirmed to return as the main character. The announcement came during a panel at this year's San Diego Comic Con, where Santa Monica Studio's Head of Creative, Cory Barlog, also revealed a release date for the upcoming God of War Laufey.
According to Screen Rant, Barlog confirmed at the panel that Laufey will launch on February 16, 2027, a date that caught many fans off guard given how soon it is. Laufey had received an extensive gameplay reveal trailer earlier in 2026 at PlayStation's June State of Play, but no release window had been announced at that time.
The Laufey reveal had stirred concern among some fans. Kratos does not serve as the main protagonist in that game, leading some to wonder whether the franchise was moving away from him permanently. Barlog addressed those concerns directly at Comic Con by confirming that God of War 6, the next mainline entry, will bring Kratos back to the center of the story.
No release window was given for God of War 6, but with Laufey only about seven months away, some fans have speculated the follow-up could arrive sooner than expected. The two games are expected to connect, with God of War 6 described as a sequel of sorts to Laufey.
Barlog's announcement also builds on comments he made earlier this year, when he said there would "always ... be Kratos games," though at the time the specifics of how those games would relate to Laufey were not clear. The Comic Con panel filled in some of those gaps.
Laufey's story involves a concept called the Everywhen, which the game uses to open pathways to different mythologies and settings. That framework is expected to carry over into God of War 6, potentially giving the studio access to a wide range of new worlds, enemies, and storylines for Kratos to move through.
The God of War franchise was created by David Jaffe and has expanded across more than a dozen titles since 2005. The 2018 reboot and its 2022 sequel, God of War Ragnarok, drew wide critical attention and brought new audiences to the series. God of War Laufey represents the franchise's next chapter, with God of War 6 now confirmed to follow.
