Santa Monica Studio, renowned for the iconic God of War franchise, is reportedly venturing into new territory with the development of a brand-new IP. This significant move, suggested by the recent return of a former employee in a new role, marks the studio’s first foray into an original IP since 2005.
While specific details remain under wraps, this development signals a potential shift for the studio as it explores fresh creative avenues beyond its well-established franchises.
Highlights
- Santa Monica Studio, known for God of War, is seemingly working on a new IP.
- A former employee”s return to Santa Monica Studio suggests a focus on creating something entirely new and separate from existing franchises.
- Details remain scarce regarding the studio”s move towards a new IP.
The developer of the God of War franchise, Santa Monica Studio, is seemingly working on a brand-new IP, according to a former employee who recently returned to the company. This would mark the first time Santa Monica Studio has worked on an IP other than God of War in an official capacity since 2005, when that series first debuted.
Santa Monica Studio started off slowly with its first game, Kinetica, being an early title for the PlayStation 2 before it became known for the action-adventure series God of War, on which it has worked ever since. While the studio has courted new IPs in recent years, with one seemingly being an open-world sci-fi adventure game, the God of War developers seem to finally be making the commitment and developing something entirely original.
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According to their account on LinkedIn, a former Santa Monica Studio employee has recently returned to the studio in a new position as a character supervisor on a brand-new IP. While the listing does not indicate any details about what the new IP may be, it seems to indicate a commitment from the studio to an entirely original concept not attached to any existing franchise, which would be the first time it has done so since Kinetica released in 2001.
Santa Monica Studio”s New IP Remains a Mystery
Close
Santa Monica Studio made an announcement back in 2022 following the launch of God of War Ragnarok that it was looking at a few new projects and even potential remakes of the original God of War trilogy. However, the studio never revealed anything about what these projects may look like, and it remains to be seen if its alleged new IP may have stemmed from one of these former projects.
Sony has been experimenting a lot in recent years when it comes to its IPs, with its Horizon series of open-world action games getting a family-friendly side game with the multiplatform spinoff LEGO Horizon Adventures. The popular PS5 tech demo Astro”s Playroom is also receiving a standalone follow-up, as the action platformer game Astro Bot, which has quickly become a highly-anticipated title.
When it comes to entirely new IPs, the PS5 exclusive action RPG Stellar Blade has continued to boast impressive player numbers and receive new content, showing a clear interest in fresh ideas from fans. Meanwhile, God of War Ragnarok players enjoyed the roguelike action of its recent Valhalla DLC, and with potential plans for a further sequel, the series that made Santa Monica Studio so prominent does not appear to be going anywhere any time soon.
Santa Monica Studio
Date Founded
1999-00-00
Headquarters
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Parent Company
PlayStation Studios
Known For
God of War
