PlayStation fans have been waiting to hear what’s next from Sony’s God of War studio Santa Monica amid rumors that the 2018 game’s director, Cory Barlog, is busy creating a new IP. The veteran developer appears to have finally provided them with their first official details, albeit in the strangest way possible: his Facebook account.
“I’d like to share a little bit about our new project,” Barlog wrote on Facebook, as first reported by by Game Informer. “I’m incredibly proud of what the team at Santa Monica Studio has been accomplishing. It’s a technically ambitious project, something that’s not easy to achieve. This is a new IP we’ve been working on for years, and if all goes well, we’re planning to show it to you later this year. I couldn’t be more excited.”
While many have shared doubts about the veracity of the post, it’s been liked on the social media platform by people like God of War composer Bear McCreary and former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida. Sony did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
As rumors have swirled about what exactly Santa Monica is making, Bloomberg‘s Jason Schreier reported earlier this year that, contrary to popular speculation, the studio was not making a sci-fi game. He was more cryptic on whether it’s related to God of War or not. “It’s not a new IP but it might feel like one,” he wrote. “Maybe that’s why people are confused.”
This led some fans to speculate if the upcoming game could be a God of War spin-off that is so different from the existing third-person action franchise it’s being treated internally as a new IP. It’s unclear right now how many projects Santa Monica has going at the same time, with rumored God of War set in Greece reportedly delayed and an online spin-off at fellow PlayStation studio Bluepoint reportedly canceled earlier this year.
One things for sure: the new game’s announcement, whatever it ends up being, is something PS5 super fans have been desperate for as this console generation drags on without many first-party single-player blockbusters to point to. If Barlog’s next game does get announced this year, presumably at the Game Awards, it’ll suggest the PS5 is shaping up to have a strong last few years when it comes to Sony-made exclusives.