Later this year, PlayStation and Sony Santa Monica will launch the latest game in theGod of Warfranchise,God of War Ragnarok. It’s the sequel to the 2018 soft reboot of theGod of Warfranchise and is certain to be one of the most highly anticipated PlayStation exclusive releases of the PlayStation 5 generation. Yet even as Sony Santa Monica focuses in onGod of War Ragnarok’s final stretch of development, it’s also already starting to look toward what’s coming next.
In a recent job listing for Sony Santa Monica, the studio confirmed that a new project was already in development. The job listing is a significant one, as Sony Santa Monica is seeking a new Art Director. The Art Director position won’t be working onGod of War Ragnarok, however, as that position is already filled byRafael Grassetti. Instead, the new Art Director is being brought on to help lead the development of an entirely new unannounced project.
RELATED:God of War Studio is Hiring for Unannounced Project
In several instances, the Art Director job profile mentions ad “new unannounced title,” a “new journey,” and a “large-scale new project” atSony Santa Monica. Obviously, the language is extremely vague regarding what that project might be, but what’s significant is that it’s new and yet to publicly be confirmed. As for other details about the project, all the profile says is that Santa Monica Studio builds “genre-defining games” and that the position will be helping establish style guides for “environments, characters and creatures.”
What’s next for Sony Santa Monica, from a general perspective, is a mystery. Sony Santa Monica has been theGod of Warstudio for PlayStation going back to the original game’s release in 2005, so it’s difficult to imagine it working on anything else. However,God of War Ragnarokdirector Eric Williamsis ending the “Norse Saga” withGod of War Ragnarok. The studio’s future is up in the air.
One possibility isGod of WardirectorCory Barlog’s next project. In 2021, Barlog confirmed he wouldn’t be directingGod of War Ragnarok, in part due to Sony Santa Monica’s tradition of swapping directors between games. However, Barlog is still at Sony Santa Monica and has hinted at another game. It’s possible that Barlog has been building a team while also working asGod of War Ragnarok’s producer and is now in need of an Art Director.
Time will tell whatSony Santa Monica’s next project is. Perhaps the studio will pauseGod of Warto work on something new, or perhaps it has two teams and can develop two AAA games at the same time. Perhaps it’ll be a new IP, or perhaps it’s just the nextGod of Wargame. With the success of theGod of Warsoft reboot, a lot of Sony Santa Monica fans will be watching.
God of War Ragnarokreleases in 2022 on PS4, and PS5.
