Important takeaways
- A new job at Santa Monica Studio suggests the developer is working on a “narrative combat game” aimed at “next-gen platforms.”
- The wording clearly suggests that the project is a PS6 game, meaning it could possibly launch after 2027/2028.
- Other details in the job posting point to the narrative fighting game featuring a photorealistic art style and similarities to other AAA projects from PlayStation Studios.
Some recently emerging evidence suggests so The God of War developer Santa Monica Studio is working on an ambitious narrative fighting game, possibly for the PlayStation 6. Not much is known about the award-winning developer's plans since its release God of War Ragnarok 2022, but in-depth research may point to a “next-gen” project underway at the Santa Monica Studio.
Although God of War Ragnarok was a smash hit in every way for Sony and Santa Monica Studio, the game's ending sparked a lot of speculation that the studio could possibly let The God of War franchise rest for a time. Not only did it God of War Ragnarok fittingly enough of the Norse saga, but the free to play Valhalla The DLC also made a case for the retirement of Kratos, the series' iconic protagonist. It remains to be seen what the next main line The God of War the game will look like and when it comes out, but for now there are other Santa Monica Studio projects that fans can look forward to.
It's been known for a while now that one of Santa Monica Studios' upcoming projects is a brand new IP, but a recently published job listing suggests that the developer may already be working on a game aimed at Sony's next-gen PS6 console . The job posting is seeking a Senior External Development Environment Artist for a “next generation narrative combat game.” While this can be dismissed as hyperbole in isolation, the job responsibilities section further confirms that this project will indeed target “next generation platforms.”
Santa Monica's “Narrative Combat” project could be a year a PS6 game
These clear “next-gen” mentions suggest that this project is currently in the early stages of production and won't be ready until after 2027/2028, which is the rumored PS6 release window. Given that the wording also differs from previous Santa Monica Studio job openings that hint at an unannounced action RPG, it seems likely that this narrative battle game is a separate project that won't see the light of day for a long time. AAA games take anywhere from five to seven years to develop, so this could be a one-year PS6 game.
Interestingly, the job ad also mentions that experience “working on AAA projects similar to PlayStation Studios titles” is preferred, so Santa Monica's mysterious narrative battle game doesn't seem to stray too far from the studio's established format. It is not yet determined if this is new The God of War game or potentially another new IP, but speculation points to the former due to the sheer popularity of The God of War franchise.
It will also be exciting to see how Santa Monica Studio will utilize the PS6's hardware for its narrative combat project, especially since the job listing indicates that the game will feature a photorealistic art style. Rumors about the PS6 are just starting to surface among the general population, but it seems that PlayStation's first-party studios have been working on games aimed at the next-gen console for a while now.
