PlayStation shadow drops God of War 2D spin-off and confirms a Trilogy remake

PlayStation and its Santa Monica studio have announced and released a God of War side-scrolling spin-off, and separately confirmed that a remake of the original Trilogy is in development.

Revealed during a State of Play on Thursday, God of War Trilogy Remake was said to be in the early stages of development, and nothing was shown beyond a logo.

Meanwhile, God of War: Sons of Sparta is a new 2D action game, developed by Mega Cat Studios in partnership with Santa Monica Studio, that’s available today on the PlayStation Store.

“We’re thrilled to confirm that the original God of War trilogy is being remade – and what better way to announce it than with the legendary TC Carson who brought Kratos to life in the Greek saga,” said Santa Monica Studio.

“This project is still very early in development, so we ask for your patience as it will be a while before anything else can be shared. When we can come back with an update, we aim to make it a big one!”

It added: “We know that remaking the Greek saga has been a frequent request – the genuine, passionate interest from fans to see the original games return is something we’re very thankful for and can’t wait to share more when the time comes!”

Out today, Sons of Sparta is described as a 2D action platformer “with a canon story set in Kratos’ youth during his harsh training at the Agoge alongside his brother Deimos”.

“From the writing team at Santa Monica Studio that brought you God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök, Sons of Sparta is a tale of duty, honor, and brotherhood featuring TC Carson who reprises his role the first time in over a decade as the adult version of Kratos, our story’s narrator,” Santa Monica Studio said.

“God of War’s kinetic combat has found a home in a brand-new genre. Kratos will learn deadly skills using his spear and shield, as well as harness powerful divine artifacts known as the Gifts of Olympus to take on a wide array of foes.

“Sons of Sparta features the return of iconic classics recreated in 2D with stunning hand-drawn pixel animation, as well as a host of new creatures to the franchise inspired by the rich, untapped facets of Greek mythology brought to life by the retro experts at Mega Cat Studios.”

The game is available now on PlayStation 5 for $29.99 / €29.99 / £24.99, or in a Digital Deluxe Edition with in-game items and extras for $39.99 / €39.99 / £32.99.

Sony Santa Monica has been celebrating God of War’s 20th anniversary via various merchandise releases and a special art gallery. It also released a limited edition DualSense controller in October.

“We’ve taken some big swings over the years in an effort to keep God of War exciting, surprising, and satisfying for players to enjoy,” it said. “We’re grateful to every single person who has joined us on that journey, you have made it possible to keep evolving this series and bring unexpected passion projects like Sons of Sparta to life.”