God of War: Laufey Sparks Backlash As David Jaffe Rips New Faye Game

God of War: Laufey has been officially announced, and the backlash is already here.

Sony Santa Monica revealed the new PS5 game during the latest PlayStation State of Play, confirming months-old DEI rumors that the next God of War project would move away from Kratos and put Faye, also known as Laufey, in the lead role.

The game stars Daredevil: Born Again‘s Deborah Ann Woll as Faye, Kratos’ wife and Atreus’ mother, and follows her after death in a realm called the Everywhen, described as an afterlife for the gods.

The reveal also introduced new companions, including a cosmic cube named Phranque, voiced by Jack Quaid (The Boys), and Rue, an enchanted ribbon guardian voiced by Perlina Lau.

Sony is selling the game as a new chapter in the God of War universe, with faster combat, more air movement, magic, swordplay, and gods from outside the Norse pantheon.

The reveal is already getting hammered online.

Some fans are defending the combat and the chance to explore Faye’s story, but the louder reaction has been backlash, with many ripping Sony for moving the spotlight away from Kratos and turning God of War into what critics see as another female-led franchise shift.

David Jaffe Blasts God of War: Laufey

God of War creator David Jaffe didn’t hold back as the State of Play reveal unfolded.

“What the f–k is that?” Jaffe said while watching the footage. “That looks like sh-t, I’m going to be honest with you. It reminds me of that game Forspoken a little bit.”

Jaffe went on to call the new game “uninspired and dull.”

“It’s dead,” he said. “That game is not going to do well for what they expect it to do.”

Jaffe argued the series has moved too far away from what made God of War work in the first place.

“You’ve lost the gore and the violence that made the first game,” Jaffe said. “You’ve lost the character. You already lost him after 2018 because he changed so much he wasn’t the same character anymore. And you’ve lost me with the cube and the little Disney character at the beginning. This just seems like a fantasy.”

Jaffe’s comments follow his recent criticism of the live-action God of War first look, where he also called out the direction of the franchise.

Fans Fume Over Faye, Kratos, And The New Direction

For a lot of fans, God of War means Kratos. Period.

They don’t want a cosmic cube sidekick. They don’t want a lighter fantasy tone. They don’t want what looks to them like Sony chasing the same modern franchise playbook where the male icon gets pushed aside while a female lead takes over.

The backlash also hit Faye’s design, with critics comparing her in-game look to Deborah Ann Woll and calling the character a downgrade.

Others called the move “woke” and accused Sony of making another “girlboss” version of a male-led franchise.

Supporters fired back by pointing out that Faye is a warrior giant, the former owner of the Leviathan Axe, and a key figure in the Norse God of War story. They also praised the combat, the art direction, and the idea of seeing the afterlife of the gods from her point of view.