Santa Monica Studio, recognized for their deep involvement with the God of War series since the early 2000s, appears to be exploring new gaming horizons. Job listings hint at the development of a new action RPG, a departure from their known concentration on the adventures of Kratos. This project remains shrouded in secrecy, with details scarce since hints of its existence surfaced in early 2022.
Following the success of their latest release, God of War Ragnarok, and its subsequent Valhalla DLC, Santa Monica Studio remains tight-lipped about their forthcoming ventures. Fans are eagerly speculating as whispers of a new title swirl through the gaming community. Yet, the studio maintains a strategic silence, building anticipation for what might be another landmark in their storied gaming legacy.
Santa Monica Studio’s Potential New Project Initiation in the Previous Year
Santa Monica Studio appears to be in the early stages of developing a fresh gaming endeavor. Insight has been gathered from various employment opportunities listed by the studio that points to the search for a senior technical user interface and experience designer with expertise in creating in-engine UIs tailored to action role-playing games (RPGs). This role is intended for a yet-to-be-disclosed project by the studio.
The pattern of these job listings suggests that they may all be linked to a single project that potentially started taking shape as early as February 2022. Over the past twenty-five years, the studio, a subsidiary of Sony, has consistently focused on one main project at a time, not including the pre-production stages.
- Development History: The company has maintained a track record of singular focus on one title per development cycle, extending over twenty-five years.
- Current Indicators: Job listings from the past two years indicate a continuous hiring push for a project still under wraps.
Given the studio’s history, predominantly concentrated on the renowned God of War series since the dawn of the millennium, speculation arises that the new project might be tied to this franchise. This speculation is substantiated by a rumor from a well-known source before the announcement of the ‘Valhalla’ downloadable content for God of War: Ragnarok, which postulated a possible “half-sequel” to the series.
Recent hiring trends have hinted that Santa Monica Studio’s unrevealed title will likely feature third-person action gameplay. This, coupled with the latest revelation pointing to an action RPG, suggests that the new project could share a gameplay style with the studio’s latest releases in the God of War saga.
Brief Overview of God of War Series:
- Premiered initially in 2005 on PlayStation 2.
- Developed by David Jaffe alongside Santa Monica Studio.
- Focuses on Kratos, a Spartan warrior with a tragic past and a tumultuous relationship with the deities of Greek mythology.
- Later entries explore his interactions with figures from Norse mythology.
The company has yet to formally unveil details about the forthcoming title. However, the consistent patterns in their recruitment postings offer an intriguing preview into the type of experience that might be expected from Santa Monica Studio’s next creative venture.
