God of War director Cory Barlog is not happy – and it looks like it’s the leaks of his upcoming PS5 adventure that have really soured his mood.
Recently it was revealed by reliable rumourmonger NateTheHate that Santa Monica Studio’s next game will be a new story set in the God of War universe, starring Kratos’ late wife Faye.
According to the snoop, the “gameplay is said to differ from the Norse God of War games with more of a focus on action”.
Further reporting has suggested the game will span a number of different mythologies, including Chinese, Egyptian, and more. A reveal is expected this year, ahead of a release in 2027.
Cory Barlog Is Not Happy
While none of this information has been confirmed, NateTheHate’s track record is fairly unshakeable. He recently revealed a new Star Fox game, only for it to be officially unveiled as part of a surprise Nintendo Direct earlier this week.
And it seems Barlog is not particularly pleased his game has leaked.
In a stealth post spotted on social media platform BlueSky, Giant Bomb’s Mike Minotti pondered, “What exactly is the benefit of shadow dropping a Direct instead of giving some heads up?”
One user replied: “To own NateTheHate for a week.”
Out of nowhere, Barlog chimed in: “[I] totally support that.”
Why Is Cory Barlog Mad?
While Barlog is credited as a God of War Ragnarok director, the project was spearheaded by Eric Williams. Barlog, it’s reported, has been working on a new game ever since 2018’s God of War reboot.
That means the industry veteran has been busy on this rumoured Faye project for nearly seven years now, and we suspect he was hoping to maintain an element of surprise.
The problem with leaks like this is they don’t reveal the full picture. While some are excited by the Faye project, others feel like it’s a waste of Santa Monica Studio’s time to create a spin-off like the one rumoured.
Without any screenshots or gameplay footage, Barlog and his team haven’t been able to put their best foot forward yet. As they’re likely tied-up by carefully coordinated marketing plans, it may still be weeks or months before we actually get to see the game in motion.
And even when the title is revealed, that element of surprise is gone. When 2018’s God of War was re-revealed at an iconic E3 press conference, no one expected to see Kratos revived in such a unique and interesting way. It was an unforgettable moment.
How Can Leaks Be Avoided?
Of course, NateTheHate has no reason to respect Sony’s marketing beats, and as a gaming insider it makes sense for him to share the things he knows.
In our opinion, the secrecy surrounding gaming creates this culture where everyone wants to be “in the know”. In the movie industry, for example, projects are announced before they even go into production.
But herein lies a problem: gamers, at large, have generally rejected early announcements. When a project is revealed with a logo or a CG trailer, like Marvel’s Wolverine was several years ago, there’s a sense that studios should shut up until they have something meaningful to show.
However, if a game is kept secret for several years, like is the case with Santa Monica Studio’s project, it creates an environment where the information could leak.
It’s a tricky scenario and we’re not 100% sure what a satisfactory solution would be. We can certainly understand Barlog’s frustration in this scenario, but we also can’t blame fans for wanting to know what’s next from the award-winning God of War dev team.
Hopefully the game will be officially revealed during a State of Play this summer, and then we can focus on discussing its features and content – rather than arguing over rumours and leaks.
