As the reverberating echoes of “Boy!” from Kratos, the protagonist of Santa Monica Studios’ genre-defining God of War franchise, begin to fade, the rumblings of a new project from the renowned studio are starting to take center stage. To the anticipation of gamers worldwide, recent whispers suggest that the studio might be steering its creative vessel away from the realm of ancient mythology and into the expanse of the final frontier – science fiction.
The Sony Santa Monica team has been the bedrock for the iconic God of War series. The studio’s masterful reboot of the franchise in 2018, which saw Kratos in a profoundly human and vulnerable role, set a new standard for the gaming industry. The project was such a success that the baton was passed from Cory Barlog, the esteemed director of the 2018 reboot, to Eric Williams for the sequel, God of War: Ragnarok, which was GOTY frontrunner and won the hearts of gamers around the world.
With Barlog notably absent from the helm of the sequel, speculation has swirled about his new pursuits within the studio, especially as he’s hinted at a sci-fi title several times before.
The sci-fi rumors were fanned into a flame recently when Alanah Pearce, a writer at Sony Santa Monica, dropped a potential hint on a recent episode of the podcast, Play, Watch, Listen. Mike Bithell, a fellow podcaster, casually brought up that he was writing for an “unspecified sci-fi franchise.” To this, Pearce responded with a laughter-infused “same!”
This interaction was spotted by the ever-vigilant users on ResetEra. Was this a jest, or an unintentional confirmation of the studio’s pivot into science fiction? Only time will tell.
Santa Monica’s venturing into the sci-fi domain, if true, isn’t entirely surprising. After delivering what’s arguably two games’ worth of content in God of War: Ragnarok, the team could well be looking for a fresh, starlit sky to chart their course. Also, Barlog has previously mentioned his fondness for the science fiction genre. Finally, Barlog is well-known for being a big fan of Marvel leading to conjectures that a Marvel game could be on the horizon. Even a Star Wars game isn’t off the table, with Disney lately inviting other developers to dabble in the galaxy far, far away.
There’s a buzz in the gaming community, with an eagerness to see Santa Monica’s take on the sci-fi genre. With Bethesda’s Starfield kickstarting what could be a new age of space games, Sony Santa Monica might just be the breath of fresh air the genre needs.
Pearce’s professional portfolio, which also includes freelance work and writing for a play centered around an orchestra, is a sign at the potential diversity and creativity that she could bring to the sci-fi genre.
While Sony Santa Monica and Alanah Pearce have kept their cards close to their chests, the gaming community is now left speculating, discussing, and waiting with bated breath. After all, there was that recent job post for something related to God of War while Williams previously lobbied for a chance for the studio to do a Castlevania game.
The renowned team behind God of War embracing a genre as vast as space could mark a significant milestone in gaming. The studio’s penchant for riveting narratives and groundbreaking gameplay could be the very thing the sci-fi genre needs to ascend to new heights. But, in an ideal world, the studio would work on two projects: Williams’ Castlevania game and Balrog’s sci-fi project.
One can only hope that if and when the studio does venture into these unconfirmed titles, the result is as much of trendsetters as their previous outings.
