God of War
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God of War Laufey launches on May 20, 2027Date announced, hour not: Santa Monica Studio moved the launch from Feb 16 to May 20, 2027 on Nov 4, 2026 and gave no hour, so this counts to the start of the day in UTC. The PlayStation Store's data lists 04:00 UTC.

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God of War Timeline Explained

The God of War story runs from Kratos's youth in Sparta (Sons of Sparta) through his revenge on Ares and Zeus (God of War to God of War III), then to his life in the Norse world with Faye and Atreus (God of War 2018, Ragnarok and Valhalla). God of War Laufey follows Faye from her funeral, alongside the 2018 game.

The God of War story is Kratos's life in two halves. In Greece he is a Spartan who sells himself to Ares, is tricked into killing his family, and spends three games taking revenge on the gods of Olympus until God of War III ends with Zeus dead and Greece in ruins. Years later, in the Norse world, he has a second wife, Faye, and a son, Atreus; her death opens God of War (2018), and the two Norse games carry father and son through Fimbulwinter to Ragnarok, with Valhalla as the epilogue. God of War Laufey, due May 20, 2027, tells what happened to Faye after that funeral. Below is the whole story era by era, each game linked to its own page.

This page spoils the endings of every God of War game through Valhalla.

Quick facts

Earliest point God of War Sons of Sparta, Kratos as a cadet in Sparta
Greek saga ends God of War III, Kratos kills Zeus
Norse saga begins God of War (2018), Faye's funeral pyre
Latest point Valhalla, the epilogue to Ragnarok
Where Laufey starts Faye's pyre, the opening of God of War (2018)
What follows Laufey A Kratos-led game, "directly" after it (no title or date as of Nov 4, 2026)

Sources: PlayStation Blog, Feb 16, 2026; PlayStation Blog, Dec 7, 2023; Game Informer, Jun 16, 2026; Kotaku, Jul 28, 2026.

The Greek saga

Sparta and the pact with Ares

God of War Sons of Sparta is "Set at the earliest point in the series timeline": Kratos and his brother Deimos are cadets in the Agoge, Sparta's training, searching Laconia for a missing cadet. The story is framed as the adult Kratos telling it to his daughter Calliope, and young Kratos is still devout toward the gods. Deimos is later taken from him as a child.

As a grown soldier facing death, Kratos makes a pact with Ares to save his life. Ares binds the Blades of Chaos to his arms and then tricks him into murdering his wife Lysandra and daughter Calliope. Their ashes stay on his skin, which is why Kratos is pale, and the deed gives him the name the Ghost of Sparta.

Ten years serving Olympus

God of War: Ascension is set 10 years before the first game: Kratos has broken his blood oath to Ares and is hunted by the three Furies. Free of Ares, he serves Athena and the other gods for a decade in exchange for forgiveness. Chains of Olympus falls inside those ten years: Athena sends him to recover the sun god Helios, and in the underworld he faces Persephone, who robs him of time with his dead daughter. No source read here says outright whether Ascension or Chains of Olympus comes first, but Ascension's oath-breaking places it at the start of the decade.

God of War and the throne

In God of War (2005) the gods give Kratos one last task: destroy Ares, who is besieging Athens. A mortal can kill a god only with Pandora's box, so Kratos finds it, kills Ares and takes his place, ending on the throne as the new God of War.

Between the first two games

Ghost of Sparta "picks up right at the end of God of War": visions send the new god to Atlantis, Sparta and the realm of Thanatos, god of death, to find Deimos. God of War: Betrayal, a 2007 phone game, also "fills in the gaps between the first two": Kratos is wrongly accused of betraying Olympus. Which of the two comes first is not stated by any source read here.

God of War II and God of War III

God of War II opens with Kratos leading Sparta's army against the cities of Greece. Athena betrays him and Zeus, his father, kills him; Gaia, mother of the Titans, saves him, and he seeks the Sisters of Fate to change his fate. God of War III begins immediately after: Kratos climbs Mount Olympus on the Titans' backs, kills Poseidon, Hades, Helios, Hermes, Hercules, Hera and Hephaestus among others, turns on Gaia, and finally kills Zeus. With the Blade of Olympus he gives up his godly power to release hope. The fight on Olympus is the one that "would eventually send Kratos into the arms of Faye". The gods of these games are on Greek Gods in God of War.

The Norse saga

Faye, Atreus and A Call from the Wilds

How Kratos reached the Norse world and met Faye has not been shown in any game. By the time of A Call from the Wilds, a 2018 Messenger text adventure, they have a son, Atreus, who hears voices and makes telepathic connections before his mother's death. The 2018 game never explains how Faye died.

God of War (2018)

God of War (2018) opens at Faye's pyre. Kratos and Atreus set out to scatter her ashes from the highest peak in Jotunheim. The Stranger who attacks them is Baldur, son of Odin and of Freya, the witch who befriends them; Atreus's mistletoe arrow pierces him and Kratos breaks his neck, which starts Fimbulwinter, the winter before Ragnarok. In Jotunheim, murals show that Faye was a giant named Laufey, that the giants called Atreus Loki, and that she foresaw and marked their whole route. A hidden ending shows Thor at their door. The full plot is on God of War (2018) Story.

God of War Laufey, beside the 2018 game

God of War Laufey starts at the same pyre: as the ashes rise, Faye wakes in the afterlife, in The Everywhen, and finds that the plans she made to protect Kratos and Atreus are at risk. Deborah Ann Woll says it will "run concurrently to 2018"; Game Informer's reveal story instead called it a companion piece set after the 2018 game's events. The premise grows out of a question Odin asks in Ragnarok: what happens to gods when they die. Everything known comes from the makers and the Jun 2, 2026 footage of a pre-release build; the details are on Where Laufey Fits in the God of War Timeline. The clip is IGN's upload of that reveal.

God of War Ragnarok

Three winters later, in God of War Ragnarok, Kratos and Atreus (now known to be Loki) look for their place in the prophecy. Atreus meets the giant Angrboda; Kratos kills Heimdall to protect his son; the "Tyr" who has been traveling with them turns out to be Odin in disguise and kills Brok. Kratos blows Gjallarhorn, the fire giant Surtr brings Ragnarok to Asgard, Odin kills Thor himself, and Sindri destroys the marble holding Odin's soul. Kratos does not die; Atreus leaves to find the remaining giants. The ending is unpacked on God of War Ragnarok Ending Explained.

Valhalla

Valhalla is "an epilogue to the events" of Ragnarok, after the battle with Odin and Atreus's departure: Kratos arrives with only Mimir and faces echoes of his Greek past. He ends it by choosing to be a God of Hope in Freya's new pantheon. It is, as of Nov 4, 2026, the latest point the story has reached.

What comes after Laufey?

At Comic-Con on Jul 24, 2026, Cory Barlog said the next Kratos-led game will "directly follow the events of Laufey". It has no title or date, and whether it picks up after Valhalla is not known. See Next God of War After Laufey. The games in release order, with platforms and scores, are on God of War Games in Order.

Frequently asked questions

What is the God of War timeline in order? God of War's story order is Sons of Sparta, Ascension, Chains of Olympus, God of War (2005), Ghost of Sparta, Betrayal, God of War II, God of War III, A Call from the Wilds, God of War (2018) with God of War Laufey beside it, Ragnarok and Valhalla.

How did Kratos get from Greece to the Norse world? No God of War game has shown it. God of War III ends in Greece, and God of War (2018) finds Kratos years later in Midgard, married to Faye and raising Atreus.

Is God of War Laufey a prequel? Partly. God of War Laufey begins at Faye's funeral at the start of God of War (2018), so it is not before that game; its star says it runs alongside it. How far it goes is not known as of Nov 4, 2026.

Who is Faye in God of War? Faye is Kratos's second wife and Atreus's mother, revealed in God of War (2018) to be the giant Laufey. She is the hero of God of War Laufey, played by Deborah Ann Woll.

Does Kratos die in God of War Ragnarok? No. The prophecy that Kratos dies at Atreus's hand does not come true; he survives Ragnarok and, in the Valhalla epilogue, chooses to become a God of Hope.

Do I need to know the Greek games to follow the Norse ones? Not to follow the plot: God of War (2018) explains what Kratos needs. Valhalla draws heavily on his Greek past, and PlayStation recommends the 2018 game and Ragnarok before God of War Laufey.

Sources

Moments

The Complete GOD OF WAR Timeline Explained!

GameSpot

  1. The God of War story is Kratos's life in two halves. In Greece he is a Spartan who sells himself to Ares, is tricked…
  2. As a grown soldier facing death, Kratos makes a pact with Ares to save his life. Ares binds the Blades of Chaos to his…
  3. Ghost of Sparta "picks up right at the end of God of War": visions send the new god to Atlantis, Sparta and the realm…
  4. God of War II opens with Kratos leading Sparta's army against the cities of Greece. Athena betrays him and Zeus, his…
  5. God of War (2018) opens at Faye's pyre. Kratos and Atreus set out to scatter her ashes from the highest peak in…

God of War's Story in 7 Minutes (2018)

IGN

  1. God of War: Ascension is set 10 years before the first game: Kratos has broken his blood oath to Ares and is hunted by…

God of War Laufey - Gameplay Reveal | State of Play 2026

IGN

  1. God of War Laufey starts at the same pyre: as the ashes rise, Faye wakes in the afterlife, in The Everywhen, and finds…

A New Kratos-Lead God of War Is Coming | Comic Con 2026

IGN

  1. At Comic-Con on Jul 24, 2026, Cory Barlog said the next Kratos-led game will "directly follow the events of Laufey"…

Every page

See also

Last updated Nov 4, 2026 by the Vi.ki team. Page text CC BY-SA 4.0.

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