Cory Barlog

Cory Barlog directed God of War II (2007) and God of War (2018), the Norse reboot that won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2018. He is Santa Monica Studio's Head of Creative and co-hosted the God of War Laufey panel where a Kratos-led follow-up was revealed.

Cory Barlog is the God of War director best known for God of War (2018), the reboot that took Kratos to Norse myth, and before that for God of War II (2007). He started on the series as the first game's lead animator, left during God of War III, came back to Santa Monica Studio in 2013, and is now the studio's Head of Creative. He is not the director of God of War Laufey, due May 20, 2027: Ariel Lawrence is, and Barlog appeared beside her at its Comic-Con panel.

Quick facts

Role today	Head of Creative, Santa Monica Studio (as of Nov 4, 2026)
God of War (2005)	Lead animator
God of War II (2007)	Game director and co-writer
God of War III (2010)	Game director for eight months, then left
Returned to the studio	2013
God of War (2018)	Game director
God of War Laufey	Co-host of the Comic-Con panel, Jul 24, 2026
Prime Video series	Executive producer

Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Sep 29, 2017; GamesRadar+, Nov 12, 2018; Game Informer, Jun 16, 2026; PlayStation Blog, Jul 9, 2026; Amazon, Feb 16, 2026.

The Greek games

Barlog was hired as lead animator on God of War (2005), David Jaffe's game. Jaffe and Shannon Studstill then gave him the second game to direct, and he wrote God of War II with Jaffe, who was creative director. The Hollywood Reporter credits him with a BAFTA for writing on it.

He was game director of God of War III for eight months before leaving. By his own account he had written a script and layout for the game, and art director Stig Asmussen finished it as director; Asmussen later said Barlog left a road map running from Hades to the top of Olympus. In 2015 Barlog, back at the studio, wrote the PlayStation Blog post that announced God of War III Remastered for PS4.

God of War (2018)

1:47 He returned to Santa Monica Studio in 2013 and directed the 2018 reboot. Its single unbroken camera shaped the casting: Barlog said scenes needed Kratos's actor and Atreus's actor to work physically together on the stage, which led to Christopher Judge replacing TC Carson as Kratos (see Christopher Judge). The game won Game of the Year and Best Game Direction at The Game Awards 2018.

Raising Kratos, PlayStation's 2019 documentary about the game, is largely his story. The announcement opened on his line "Doubt is the demon that lives in the ear" of everyone in the industry.

Ragnarok and after

Barlog did not direct God of War Ragnarok: Eric Williams did. At The Game Awards 2022, Judge told the audience he had quit when Barlog said he would not direct the sequel, until Barlog vouched for Williams. Bear McCreary names Barlog among the game team he worked with on Ragnarok's score; his exact credit on Ragnarok is not settled in the sources used here.

Deborah Ann Woll says Barlog brought her in to talk about Ragnarok and that the idea behind Laufey was pitched to her in 2018.

God of War Laufey and the next Kratos game

1:29 As Head of Creative, Barlog sat down with director Ariel Lawrence for Game Informer after the Jun 2, 2026 reveal and said "There's always going to be Kratos games throughout the whole history." He and Lawrence hosted the San Diego Comic-Con panel on Jul 24, 2026, where, Kotaku reported, he "accidentally" revealed that the next Kratos-led game will directly follow the events of Laufey. More is on Next God of War After Laufey. In the clip, IGN's Jul 25, 2026 recap from Comic-Con, the hosts describe how Barlog brought it up.

He is also an executive producer of the God of War TV Series on Prime Video, named on Amazon's page.

Frequently asked questions

Who directed God of War (2018)? Cory Barlog directed God of War (2018) at Santa Monica Studio; it won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2018.

Did Cory Barlog direct God of War Ragnarok? No. Eric Williams directed God of War Ragnarok; Christopher Judge said at The Game Awards 2022 that Barlog vouched for him.

Is Cory Barlog directing God of War Laufey? No. Ariel Lawrence is God of War Laufey's game director. Barlog is Santa Monica Studio's Head of Creative and co-hosted the game's Comic-Con panel with her.

What else did Cory Barlog make in God of War? He was lead animator on God of War (2005), directed and co-wrote God of War II (2007), and was God of War III's director for eight months before leaving the studio.

Did Cory Barlog create God of War? No. David Jaffe created and directed the first God of War game in 2005; Barlog was its lead animator.