Things are getting serious for God of War Laufey, as Sony Interactive Entertainment has just announced that pre-orders for the game will open on Tuesday 29 September at 10am, with several editions on the cards. But that's not all, because a trip over to the PlayStation Blog reveals fresh details about Faye's combat system too, and her serpent bow in particular. It's a weapon that looks set to play a major role in battle.
As a reminder, God of War Laufey launches on 16 February 2027 on PS5, both physically and digitally. Players who pre-order their copy will receive a number of bonuses, including the Last Will armour set, the Gold Leaves skin for Phranque and a pack of in-game resources. A digital Deluxe edition will also be available, featuring the Dark Alchemy armour set, the Dark Alchemy Blade, the Dark Alchemy Archer's Scales for the serpent bow and the Dark Alchemy Catalyst. That version also includes a resource pack, a digital mini artbook and the game's official soundtrack. As for the prices of the various editions, they'll be announced when pre-orders go live.
The serpent bow
Santa Monica Studio is mainly using this announcement to show off more of Faye's abilities, because alongside her sword, Kratos' wife will be able to wield an enchanted serpent bow, capable of snapping from a resting stance into a firing position in an instant and of being worked into melee combos as well. The weapon also has two firing modes: by fully pressing the aim trigger, Faye switches to Precision mode, with increased range that lets her target specific parts of enemies' bodies to limit their movement or their attacks. She can also nock up to five arrows before unleashing a powerful volley, particularly handy when Phranque launches enemies into the air. With a partial press of the trigger, Faye instead adopts a hip-fire stance, far more mobile, which allows her to rattle off close-range shots in quick succession and keep enemies airborne to extend combos.
The serpent bow can also make use of different arrow types, with rapid shots, explosive attacks or projectiles capable of hitting several targets at once. Its serpent scales can be swapped out to change its appearance and grant various gameplay perks, while new skills can be unlocked as you progress. Customising Faye also extends to her armour, her blade and her catalysts, the latter being artefacts able to channel the magic of the Empyrean. Players will therefore be able to tailor their kit to the playstyle they're after.
Santa Monica Studio rounds things off with new screenshots and footage, including one shot showing Kratos, which confirms he'll indeed be in the game. As a reminder: God of War Laufey launches on 16 February 2027 on PlayStation 5.
