The Everywhen

14:58 The Everywhen is the world of God of War Laufey: "the afterlife of the gods", where Faye wakes after her funeral pyre at the start of God of War (2018). Santa Monica Studio calls it "the birthplace and endpoint to which all magic returns", a realm above the Nine Realms where gods and creatures from different mythologies meet, not always peacefully. Its natural flow of magic has been disrupted, which makes it harder to leave, and Faye must uncover its hidden truths to find her way home. Laufey is due on PS5 on May 20, 2027; everything here comes from the makers and the Jun 2, 2026 footage of a pre-release build. The clip is IGN's upload of that footage, in which Phranque names the place.

Quick facts

Sources: PlayStation Blog, Jun 2, 2026; Game Informer, Nov 4, 2026.

What is the Everywhen in God of War?

2:52 In the PlayStation Store's description it is the place "where ruthless gods from across mythology vie for power in a land overflowing with dangerous magic". The studio places it above the realms the series has visited so far, the Nine Realms of the Norse games (see The Nine Realms), and names two of its gods, Sekhmet and Begtse, both hostile to Faye. In the clip, MojoPlays sums up the setting.

Paradise or prison?

11:58 Game Director Ariel Lawrence describes it as "a little bit more of a prison" than a paradise. "Magic isn't flowing exactly the way that it should be," Lawrence told Game Informer, and things there are not working as they should. The studio's own line poses it as a question, "Paradise or prison", which Faye must answer by uncovering the realm's true nature (PlayStation Blog). Game Informer calls the setting a corrupted Everywhen, fought over by gods of several pantheons. In the clip, from the reveal, Faye's captors tell her the gateway is closed and there is no escape.

Odin's question

The idea comes out of God of War Ragnarok. Odin, haunted by the prophecy of his own death, chased knowledge of what happens after it (PlayStation Blog). Lawrence: Odin "really was kind of taken by that question", and Laufey answers "what happens to gods when they die". See Odin and Thor.

What has been shown

2:08 The reveal footage opens on Faye's body burning on the pyre; as her ashes rise she wakes in the afterlife, among what look like fairies (Game Informer), in a mysterious forest. She crosses ruins, is captured by armored soldiers who mistreat the realm's creatures, and is brought before a red-skinned demon lord and a blue-skinned woman (Kotaku). Game Informer describes a world of magical creatures and deities "of all shapes, sizes, and cultural origins", with a dreamlike whimsy set against the series' brutality. Faye meets Phranque and Rue shortly after she wakes.

1:39 Faye's soul powers are greatly amplified there: her golden palm can knock a foe's soul out of its body (PlayStation Blog). See Laufey Gameplay and Combat. In the clip, from IGN's upload of the combat first look, the designers explain it.

What is not known

17:12 As of Nov 4, 2026: how big the Everywhen is or whether it is open or linear, which other mythologies appear, how time there lines up with the 2018 game (Game Informer said its placement is hard to pin down, given the name), and whether any other dead characters of the series are there. The timeline questions are on Where Laufey Fits in the God of War Timeline. In the clip, Kaptain Kuba quotes Lawrence calling it a place of "all time and no time" and offers his own theory.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Everywhen in God of War Laufey? The Everywhen is the afterlife of the gods in God of War Laufey, the realm where all magic is born and returns, and where gods from many mythologies compete for power. Faye wakes there after her death.

Is the Everywhen one of the Nine Realms? No. Santa Monica Studio calls the Everywhen a transcendent realm above the realms already known in God of War, which are the Nine Realms of the Norse games.

Is the Everywhen Valhalla? No. Valhalla is the Norse setting of God of War Ragnarok's Valhalla epilogue, where Kratos goes after Ragnarok; the Everywhen is the separate afterlife of the gods from many mythologies, introduced in God of War Laufey.

Why is it called the Everywhen? Santa Monica Studio has not explained the name as of Nov 4, 2026. Game Informer noted that the name makes Laufey's place in the timeline hard to pin down.

Sources

• First look at God of War Laufey, PlayStation Blog (Grace Orlady), Jun 2, 2026
• God Of War Laufey Stars Kratos' Wife Fighting Through The Afterlife Of The Gods, Game Informer (Marcus Stewart), Jun 2, 2026
• What Happens To Gods When They Die?, Game Informer (Kyle Hilliard), Jun 16, 2026
• God Of War Laufey Releases In February, Game Informer (Kyle Hilliard), Jul 27, 2026
• God Of War Laufey Delayed To May, Game Informer (Wesley LeBlanc), Nov 4, 2026
• God Of War Spin-Off Starring Faye Finally Confirmed After Months Of Rumors, Kotaku (Kenneth Shepard, Carolyn Petit), Jun 2, 2026
• God of War Laufey - Gameplay Reveal | State of Play 2026, IGN, Jun 2, 2026 (video)
• God of War Laufey - Official Combat First Look Trailer, IGN, Jun 3, 2026 (video)
• 10 Things To Know About God of War Laufey, MojoPlays, Jun 4, 2026 (video)
• Everything You Missed in the God of War: Laufey Announcement BREAKDOWN, Kaptain Kuba, Jun 8, 2026 (video)