Few franchises in gaming history are as iconic as God of War. Known for its brutal 3D combat, epic storytelling, and mythological scope, it’s a series that helped define an entire generation of action games. But according to recent rumors from insiders, the next entry might take a radically different approach — one that no one saw coming.
Get ready: the next God of War might be a 2.5D Metroidvania-style adventure, set in ancient Greece.
Multiple sources have hinted that the upcoming God of War title will move away from its traditional third-person, cinematic action format. Instead, the game is said to adopt a 2.5D side-scrolling Metroidvania style a genre popularized by titles like Hollow Knight, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
This would mark a dramatic shift for the series, offering a more compact, exploration-heavy experience focused on tight level design, backtracking with new abilities, and intricate progression paths.
In addition to the new gameplay style, the rumored project will reportedly be set in Kratos' earlier days in ancient Greece, before his adventures in Norse mythology. However, rather than being a mainline sequel, this game is said to be a standalone side story, possibly serving as a short prequel or a character-focused narrative piece.
This would allow Santa Monica Studio to explore fresh perspectives within the franchise without disrupting the main storyline.
Insiders suggest that the reveal is likely to happen very soon — possibly at one of two major upcoming events:
Sony typically reserves its big franchise announcements for State of Play showcases, but smaller or experimental titles often appear at the Summer Game Fest as well. If the rumors are true, we might not have to wait long to get our first look.
The God of War series has built its legacy on cinematic spectacle, weighty combat, and emotionally charged storytelling. A pivot to 2.5D Metroidvania gameplay may be seen by some fans as a downgrade or side project, while others might welcome the fresh direction as a creative experiment.
It’s worth remembering that the series has already gone through major evolutions most notably, the shift from Greek to Norse mythology in the 2018 reboot. Perhaps this rumored game is another step in its continuing reinvention.
There are several potential reasons behind a move like this:
To bridge the gap between larger mainline titles with a smaller, focused experience
To give younger or experimental teams within Santa Monica Studio a chance to develop something unique
To expand the God of War universe in new genres and styles
To deliver a story-rich side adventure without the massive development time of a AAA sequel
If executed well, this game could serve as a bite-sized but high-quality entry in the franchise much like Miles Morales did for Spider-Man or Uncharted: The Lost Legacy for Uncharted.
Nothing is confirmed just yet, but the pieces are falling into place for an unexpected but exciting announcement. If this rumor proves true, we could see Kratos like never before not just in a different mythos, but through an entirely new gameplay lens.
Set a reminder for the June 4th State of Play, and keep your expectations open. God of War may be ready to surprise us all once again.