Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, the creative force behind the legendary God of War series, is reportedly breaking new ground with its first original IP in over 20 years. This potential move marks a significant shift for the studio, long celebrated for its mythological epics, and has ignited widespread anticipation within the gaming community.
The social media buzz began when Glaucus Longi, a former Art Director at Santa Monica Studio, updated his LinkedIn profile to announce his return to the studio as Character Supervisor. Longi revealed that he is now “supervising and directing character development for an unannounced project,” fueling speculation about the studio’s next big endeavour. He expressed his excitement, stating, “Santa Monica Studio presented the opportunity to come back as Character Supervisor, looking after the entire character development pipeline on their new IP. So, here I am, thrilled to be back, working again with the crew and pushing character creation in video games together.”
Although the listing doesn’t divulge specifics about the new IP, it confirms the studio’s dedication to an entirely original concept not attached to any existing franchise, since the release of Kinetica in 2001. While Kinetica showcased the early promise of Santa Monica Studio, it was the groundbreaking success of God of War (2005), developed by David Jaffe, which solidified its dominance in the action-adventure genre. Rooted in Greek and Norse mythology, the series established itself as a flagship title for PlayStation with nine instalments across various platforms. Since then, the studio has continuously expanded the God of War universe, reaching new heights with the critically acclaimed God of War Ragnarok in 2022.
This revelation has sparked considerable speculation among gamers, who are keen to see what the masterminds behind God of War have in store. While the studio has primarily focused on its flagship franchise over the years, it has also explored various projects and hinted at new ventures, including potential remakes of the original trilogy and a rumoured open-world sci-fi adventure. Although these plans remained a mystery, this upcoming unannounced project might well be the culmination of those previous hints, offering a new narrative, inventive storytelling, and fresh character designs that depart from their well-established series.
As Santa Monica Studio moves beyond Kratos’ mythic adventures into new territory, the gaming world eagerly anticipates the impact of its new IP. Will it redefine the gaming landscape as God of War once did? Only time will tell. For now, fans can only speculate and hope that the upcoming project will bring the same level of innovation and epic storytelling that has made Santa Monica Studio a beloved name in the industry.
Words by Khushboo Malhotra
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