Bruce Straley Apologizes to God of War Laufey Team Over Gameplay Comments
- Bruce Straley expressed he was “not excited” about God of War Laufey’s gameplay.
- Straley later apologized, stating his comments were taken out of context.
- God of War Laufey is set to release on February 16, 2027.
Bruce Straley, director of The Last of Us, has issued an apology to the God of War Laufey development team at Sony Santa Monica after sharing his lack of excitement regarding the gameplay of the upcoming title.
In a recent issue of Edge, which featured a cover story titled “The game industry is broken – can we fix it?”, Straley discussed concerns within the gaming industry, including layoffs and increasing development costs. He stated, “I’ll probably never make the triple-A game I actually want to because modern blockbusters are boring.”
Straley, who spent 18 years at Naughty Dog and is currently leading a small team at Wildflower Interactive on a project named Coven of the Chicken Foot, acknowledged the impressive work behind God of War Laufey. He remarked, “Every pixel is mind-blowing… I’m still blown away. But when I actually look at what you’re doing in the game? I’m not excited.”
I want to apologize to the Laufey team for dragging you all into this uninvited & unnecessary negative attention. I was trying to illustrate an industry concern & my mistake of naming your game is being used out of context & for clickbait. You don’t need this. I’m sorry. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/Ri2KgfJ4yY
— Bruce Straley (@bruce_straley) September 18, 2026
Straley subsequently clarified his comments on X/Twitter, apologizing to the Laufey team for causing “uninvited and unnecessary negative attention.” He emphasized that his intention was to discuss broader industry issues, not to criticize the God of War team, stating, “This isn’t the team’s fault!” He voiced a concern about a potential lack of innovation in the AAA gaming space.
The development of God of War Laufey has generated considerable anticipation, with Santa Monica Studio’s Cory Barlog confirming that the next mainline God of War title will follow the narrative set by Laufey. The game is scheduled for release on February 16, 2027, following its reveal during this year’s Summer Game Fest, where it became a topic of great discussion, particularly due to its new protagonist, Faye.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
