The recently revealed God of War Laufey, shown at State of Play, continues Sony Santa Monica’s Norse arc — it’s the third entry, but not a prequel. Events run alongside what came before, with Faye placed at the story’s center rather than the usual focal points.
Sony also says you don’t need prior knowledge to play. God of War Laufey can be played entirely independently. Still, the company quickly adds a caveat: to get the fullest sense of the characters and setting, earlier games are recommended. To fully appreciate the world and characters, players should play both God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök — both games are available on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 consoles, as well as on PC.
That seems reasonable. If you’ve already lived through Kratos and Atreus’s strained, oddball father–son routine, certain moments in Faye’s afterlife (Everveen) will hit differently — I think they’ll land heavier, in ways the trailer alone can’t convey. Fans are also nudged toward the Greek-era entries; they’re not tightly bound to Laufey’s plot, but they give context to Kratos’ history (e.g., older motivations and scars), which can change how you read new scenes.