TL;DR: A now-deleted LinkedIn profile from former Sony Santa Monica senior writer Lauren Signorino claims the studio has been developing “a new franchise within the God of War universe” for several years — one that reportedly won’t star Kratos or Atreus, and is not the long-rumored Egyptian setting. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier validated the leak, tying it to prior reporting that Sony intends to turn God of War into its own MCU-style expanded universe. Christopher Judge (Kratos’ voice actor) has separately teased a Summer 2026 reveal, and Cory Barlog is believed to be heading the project. This all comes as God of War celebrates its 20th anniversary — capped by the recent shadow-drop of 2D spin-off Sons of Sparta and confirmation of a Greek trilogy remake.
Something big is coming to the God of War universe — and it’s not what most fans were expecting. A leaked LinkedIn profile from a former senior writer at Sony Santa Monica has set the gaming internet ablaze with confirmation that the storied studio is building an entirely new franchise set within the God of War’s world. More intriguingly, everything pointing toward this project suggests it won’t follow Kratos or his son Atreus. It’s a new story, in a familiar world — and it may be the most important PlayStation reveal of 2026 when it finally lands this summer.
The LinkedIn Leak: What Lauren Signorino’s Profile Said
The spark came from ResetEra, where user St. Elmo’s Fire spotted the LinkedIn profile of Lauren Signorino, a senior writer who worked at Sony Santa Monica from 2020 until September 2025 — a tenure of just over five years. Her profile stated that she had helped shape the “narrative vision and creative direction at Sony Santa Monica Studio for a new franchise within the God of War universe, developing characters, storylines, and original lore that expanded the acclaimed IP.”
The profile has since been deleted or made private — a common occurrence when developers inadvertently surface unannounced project details — but screenshots have circulated widely. The language is notably specific: not a sequel, not a remake, not a spinoff episode, but a new franchise, one that “expanded” rather than continued the IP.
Signorino’s profile also described the work as integrating “story with gameplay and worldbuilding through scripts and narrative content, collaborating across disciplines to deliver emotionally driven experiences for a global audience” — with a direct mention of contributing to “long-term narrative and franchise strategy.” That last phrase, combined with the word “franchise,” is what’s driving the bulk of the speculation.
Jason Schreier’s Validation — And What He Said Before
The leak didn’t exist in a vacuum. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier — who has a long track record of accurate PlayStation reporting — responded directly to the ResetEra thread: “I suppose now it’s become obvious what I meant by ‘not a new IP but it might feel like one’.”
Schreier had previously reported that Sony intended to support the wider God of War series with several “sequels and spinoffs, like its own smaller version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.” That MCU framework is critical context: Sony isn’t just greenlighting one new God of War game — the plan, according to Schreier’s sources, is a network of connected stories and characters built on the same mythology and lore foundation.
The framing echoes how Alan Wake and Control coexist in Remedy’s shared universe — distinct games, distinct protagonists, the same underlying world. One ResetEra user made exactly that comparison, describing the new project as similar to “CONTROL in the Alan Wake universe.”
What We Know About the Game Itself
Multiple reliable insiders have aligned on the following details: Atreus will not be the main character, and the long-rumored standalone Atreus spin-off is off the table. It is also not the long-rumored Ancient Egypt spin-off from older leaks. The project is described as feeling “both fresh and familiar” — a new protagonist, almost certainly, set somewhere within the rich mythological sandbox the franchise has established across Greek and Norse settings.
Cory Barlog, who helmed God of War 2018 but stepped aside for Ragnarök, is understood to be working on this unannounced project. Insider Shpeshal Nick corroborated this, stating that Barlog has been overseeing the new project’s development alongside work on the Greek Trilogy Remake.
Crucially, Christopher Judge — the voice of Norse-era Kratos — appears to still be involved. During Fan Expo Vancouver, Judge told a streamer that fans will be “hearing about what we’re doing probably in late summer,” and he confirmed he is not part of the Greek Trilogy Remake — strongly suggesting his involvement is with the new franchise. Multiple insiders, including NateTheHate and shinobi602, believe a Summer 2026 State of Play or Summer Game Fest reveal is likely.
The God of War Universe Is Already Expanding Fast
The new franchise leak lands during an extraordinarily active period for the IP. Sony Santa Monica is currently celebrating God of War’s 20th anniversary — the original game launched in March 2005 — with a wave of new announcements.
Most recently, the studio shadow-dropped God of War: Sons of Sparta at the February 2026 State of Play, a 2D Metroidvania-style title developed by Mega Cat Studios featuring TC Carson reprising his original Kratos role for the first time in over a decade. The game is out now on PlayStation 5 and represents the franchise’s first major genre departure.
During the same State of Play, Sony Santa Monica confirmed that the original God of War trilogy is being remade — though the project is still very early in development. “We ask for your patience as it will be a while before anything else can be shared,” the studio said.
Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video recently shared the first look at Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus in the upcoming live-action God of War TV series, extending the franchise’s reach into yet another medium. The image — Kratos teaching Atreus to hunt — deliberately echoes the opening of the beloved 2018 reboot.
And the now-shuttered Bluepoint Games was separately reported to have been developing a live-service God of War title before its closure last month — a project that would have starred Atreus. That game is no longer in development, but its existence confirms Sony was already thinking in expanded universe terms well before this leak.
Why This Matters: God of War’s MCU Ambitions
Taken together, Sony’s God of War strategy is coming into clearer focus. A Greek Trilogy Remake anchors the franchise’s past. Sons of Sparta explores its storytelling range. A TV series broadens its mainstream reach. And now, a new franchise built on the same mythological DNA is apparently poised to carry it into the future — with a new protagonist, new creative direction, and a Summer 2026 reveal window.
The only real question left is whose story gets told next.
For more on the biggest gaming stories this week, find out how Escape From Tarkov just slashed its matchmaking times from 10 minutes to under 2 — a major win for the extraction shooter’s player retention. And don’t miss every new LEGO set that dropped on March 1, 2026 — including the long-awaited Zelda Ocarina of Time finale set. On the Pokémon front, Scarlet and Violet just confirmed their final ranked battle season — Season 41 begins April 1.
