Update (August 18 at 12:02 a.m. CT): Following publication of this story, it became apparent that the account in question is more than likely intentionally inauthentic. As a result, we have cause to believe this news is likely inaccurate. We apologize for this mistake. We have reached out to Sony for further confirmation, and will update this story again should we receive comment.

Original story (posted August 18 at 9:27 a.m. CT):

Cory Barlog (pictured above being asked rapid-fire questions about God of War), director of God of War II and 2018's God of War, shared some vague details about what the team at Sony Santa Monica is currently working on. Sony Santa Monica is the developer, most recently, behind God of War Ragnarök.

"I’d like to share a little bit about our new project," Barlog wrote on Facebook. "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." Barlog ended the post with two heart emojis.

Barlog's post doesn't specify that this is Sony Santa Monica next project or that it is its only project. Since the release of Ragnarök's free rogue-lite mode DLC, it has been quiet about what's next.

In terms of God of War, developer Bluepoint Games (primarily known for its remakes of Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls) was working on a live-service game connected to the God of War franchise. That game was publicly cancelled earlier this year according to a statement Sony shared with Bloomberg.

Whatever this new project may be, we will apparently learn more about it later this year.

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, PC
Publisher: Giant Squid
Developer: Giant Squid
Release: August 19, 2025

Developer Giant Squid was born from members of the team that created 2012’s Journey. Giant Squid founder and Sword of the Sea’s director, Matt Nava, is credited as Journey’s art director, but frankly, you could have guessed that just from looking at the screenshots at the top of this page. This is Giant Squid’s third game, but it is arguably the one that feels the most indebted to Journey – and that’s a compliment. It certainly has its own distinct vibe, story, and, as you progress deeper in the game, art style, but in some ways, it feels like it picks up where that landmark 2012 video game left off.

Sword of the Sea is not a wordless story. Occasionally, you come across stone tablets that offer cryptic prose about what may or may not be happening in this world, but for the most part, your appreciation of the narrative comes strictly from the visuals. You are a swordsperson who prefers to ride your sword like a hoverboard rather than swing it on an adventure to bring aquatic life back to dried out world covered with rolling sand.

The star of the show is the feeling of riding your sword. Gaining speed and leaping from giant sand dunes is fluid and fast. New abilities unlocked over the course of the game only make movement feel better, and different surface types lead to slightly different approaches in how to gain speed and height to hit that next destination. Finding those rhythms on the hills is where Sword of the Sea sings, and the excellent pace of the experience means you are rarely slowing down. I finished my first playthrough in under three hours but immediately started its new game plus mode in order to unlock the final few abilities and see how quickly I could get to the game’s thrilling finale again.

While the ease and speed of movement is Sword of the Sea’s primary highlight, its visuals are a close second. I loved the loop of seeing what’s next and pausing to take in the gorgeous sights. Periodically, the game takes camera control from the player as they are careening down a hill to focus on the landscape in the distance, and I was always eager to hand it over just to make sure I could pay attention to what I was seeing without having to worry about jumping at the right time.

The ocean-themed art direction also leads to unexpected moments that are weird in just the right way. Sword of the Sea likes to play with your expectations, and I was frequently surprised by what I was doing and what was happening.

 

Perhaps the only shortcoming is that I didn’t find the narrative particularly emotional. It is difficult to create moving moments between characters who don’t speak and exist in an abstract world, and Sword of the Sea doesn’t quite stick the landing. I wouldn’t define my experience with that part of the game as disappointing, but rather that the implications of the narrative didn’t quite keep up with how good the game looks, feels, and sounds. I wanted more.

I appreciate Sword of the Sea’s brevity and visual goals. It never gets close to dragging or overstaying its welcome. It moves at the pace of a magical swordsperson speeding across sand dunes on a floating blade at 170 miles per hour (a speedometer unlocks after you beat the game), and it never gives you a reason to look away. I wanted to feel more from the story, perhaps only because every other element of the experience elevated it so high that my expectations were right up there with them.

Score: 8.5

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Cory Barlog (pictured above being asked rapid-fire questions about God of War), director of God of War II and 2018's God of War, shared some vague details about what the team at Sony Santa Monica is currently working on. Sony Santa Monica is the developer, most recently, behind God of War Ragnarök.

"I’d like to share a little bit about our new project," Barlog wrote on Facebook. "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." Barlog ended the post with two heart emojis.

Barlog's post doesn't specify that this is Sony Santa Monica next project or that it is its only project. Since the release of Ragnarök's free rogue-lite mode DLC, it has been quiet about what's next.

In terms of God of War, developer Bluepoint Games (primarily known for its remakes of Shadow of the Colossus and Demon's Souls) was working on a live-service game connected to the God of War franchise. That game was publicly cancelled earlier this year according to a statement Sony shared with Bloomberg.

Whatever this new project may be, we will apparently learn more about it later this year.

Nintendo shared an update in its Nintendo Today app this morning that it will be live-streaming a Kirby Air Riders-focused Direct presentation on Tuesday, August 19.

"Tune in on Tuesday, August 19, for a livestreamed Kirby Air Riders Direct featuring about 45 minutes of information about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game."

The app then suggests you add the even to your calendar which reveals it will air at 8 a.m. CT.

Kirby Air Riders is the follow-up to the GameCube game, Kirby Air Ride (notice how the sequel is plural, like Aliens). Arguably one of the most interesting details about the game is that it is helmed by Masahiro Sakurai, the director of the Super Smash Bros. series, and the creator of Kirby. This will mark the first time Sakurai has actively worked on a dedicated Kirby game since the original Kirby Air Ride in 2003.

The description for the YouTube location where the Direct will air promises an appearance from Sakurai reading, "Join us on Aug 19 at 6 a.m. PT for a Kirby Air Riders Direct with director Mr. Sakurai. The livestreamed presentation will last roughly 45 minutes and provide an in-depth look at the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game."

Kirby Air Riders currently does not have a release date beyond the vague 2025.

We're nearing the start of the fall season, and that means a bevy of new games will roll in like an avalanche, stretching from now until the holidays. With that in mind, GI's Marcus, Wesley, and Eric are here to talk about their most anticipated games of 2025 alongside friend of the show Hayes Madsen.

Hear their picks for what to watch for over the coming months, as well as Wesley and Hayes' impressions of Phantom Blade Zero, Marcus' thoughts on indie darling And Roger, and a true debate: are suits mechs?

Listen to "Most Anticipated Upcoming Games In 2025, Plus PHANTOM BLADE ZERO, And Roger Impressions" on Spreaker.

Subscribe to Game Informer Magazine: https://gameinformer.com/subscribe

Follow our hosts on social media:
Marcus Stewart (@marcusstewart7)
Wesley LeBlanc (@wesleyleblanc)
Eric Van Allen (@seamoosi)
Hayes Madsen (@solfleet)

Watch the video version here:

Jump to a specific discussion using these timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
05:16 - Phantom Blade Zero / Wesley and Hayes' adventures
31:07 - And Roger
43:33 - Our 2025 backlog
52:20 - Most anticipated games yet to arrive in 2025