Santa Monica Studio, the team behind the acclaimed God of War franchise, is reportedly working on a new, unannounced project. A recent update from a key developer fuels speculation about this exciting new venture.
Glauco Longhi's LinkedIn Profile Hints at Sci-Fi Game
Glauco Longhi, a character artist and game developer with a significant history at Santa Monica Studio (including lead character artist roles on God of War (2018) and Ragnarok), has returned to the studio. His LinkedIn profile reveals he's overseeing character development for an "unannounced project." This cryptic description, coupled with other clues, points towards a significant new undertaking.
Longhi's profile states his role involves "Supervising/Directing Character development on an unannounced project," and further indicates a studio-wide focus on elevating character development in video games.
Adding fuel to the fire, Cory Barlog, creative director of the 2018 God of War reboot, previously hinted at the studio's involvement in multiple projects. Furthermore, Santa Monica Studio's recent recruitment drive, including searches for character artists and tools programmers, suggests significant expansion and ongoing development on a large-scale project.
Speculation Mounts: A Sci-Fi IP?
Rumors of a new sci-fi IP from Santa Monica Studio, potentially spearheaded by God of War 3 creative director Stig Asmussen, have been circulating. While unconfirmed, Sony's trademark of "Intergalactic The Heretic Prophet" earlier this year adds to the intrigue. Previous reports of a cancelled PS4 sci-fi project from the studio further fuel this speculation, suggesting a long-standing interest in the genre. However, until an official announcement, the nature of this unannounced project remains a mystery.
