🪓 Sony Santa Monica Studio has teamed up with Mega Cat Studios on God of War: Sons of Sparta, a newly released PS5 prequel that reimagines Kratos’ early years as a 2.5D side-scroller 6210.
Multiple outlets say Sony used the same State of Play window to announce remakes of the Greek-era God of War trilogy 124.
The smaller-scale experiment has already stirred debate online. That includes sharp public criticism from series creator David Jaffe, who says the project’s direction—and what he sees as its overall quality—miss the mark 785.
Sources
- God Of War Sons Of Sparta Devs Reveal Original Vision [thegamer.com] (2026-02-17)
- “This Is Not God of War”: Original Creator Doesn’t Know “What the F***” SSM Was Thinking With New 2.5D Sons of Sparta Game [wccftech.com] (2026-02-16)
- God of War Sons of Sparta angers players over confusing co-op requirements [polygon.com] (2026-02-16)
- God of War Sons of Sparta's Deimos is the Exact Opposite of GOW Ragnarok's Atreus, But That's Not a Good Thing [gamerant.com] (2026-02-17)
- David Jaffe, Creator of God of War, Expresses Disappointment Over Sons of Sparta [mxdwn.com] (2026-02-17)
- God of War Sons of Sparta – Mega Cat Studios discuss origins of Kratos and company’s name [playstation.com] (2026-02-16)
- 'It's a Terrible First-Party Game': God of War Creator Expands on PS5 Side-Scroller Criticism [pushsquare.com] (2026-02-16)
- "What the f**k are they thinking" - Original God of War creator slams Sons of Sparta, branding it "one of worst decisions" ever made [eurogamer.net] (2026-02-16)
- God of War: Sons of Sparta's easiest difficulty makes an excellent reference to the 2018 reboot, and fans love it: "Whoever came up with that should get a raise" [gamesradar.com] (2026-02-17)
- Yes, God of War Sons Of Sparta Dev Takes Its Name From A Real, Adorable Cat [gamespot.com] (2026-02-16)
- ‘God Of War’ creator slams Jack Quaid’s “insulting” prequel game ‘Sons Of Sparta’ - NME [google.com] (2026-02-16)
Highlights
- Long-rumoured format: Wccftech says a 2.5D God of War had floated around for years before Sons of Sparta was finally revealed and released 2.
- Companion complaints: Game Rant argues Deimos often feels like a weak or unhelpful partner, especially compared with Ragnarök’s chattier Atreus dynamic 4.
- Fan-loved easter egg: GamesRadar highlights a 2018-reboot nod hidden in the easiest difficulty option—one fans have been praising online 9.
- Studio backstory: Mega Cat Studios’ founder told GameSpot the name comes from a rescued cat the team bottle-fed while they were dealing with the heartbreak of losing a pet 10.
Perspectives
Sons of Sparta developers (per TheGamer): The team says the early vision would have put the game closer to the Greek-trilogy era, before the concept shifted into what ultimately shipped 1.
David Jaffe (series creator): In a follow-up, example-driven breakdown, he doubled down on his harsh assessment of the game’s quality, while also calling out specific elements he liked—and others he didn’t 7.
Sony/Mega Cat Studios: In an official PlayStation Blog interview, Mega Cat says the collaboration with Santa Monica Studio set out to explore the earliest point in the series, and explains the meaning behind the “Sons of Sparta” name 6.
Players criticizing co-op: Some players say the co-op onboarding feels confusing, and they don’t like that they can’t jump into co-op right away 3.
Action Items
- If co-op is your main reason for buying, check how co-op unlocks work first—some players say the requirements are confusing and not immediately accessible 3.
- Try difficulty options early: if you want a gentler start, begin on the easiest setting to catch the 2018-era reference fans have been sharing 9.