‘Marvel’s Wolverine’, ‘God Of War: Laufey’ Highlight Sony’s Summer State of Play

As ever, PlayStation’s State of Play was one of the most highly-anticipated events of the Summer Game Fest week. Yet, Sony actually broke from tradition here, announcing the show weeks in advance and making the showcase available to watch at the Alamo Drafthouse. Was it worth all the fuss?   Well, that’s another question entirely.  Let’s check out some of the highlights:

It feels like we’ve known about Marvel’s Wolverine forever, since Insomniac announced it years before even Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was out. However, while we’ve been aware of it for five years, this is actually the first extended look at gameplay. Concerns of the game looking too much like Spider-Man have basically vanished, as that game could never have the visceral, gore-filled combat shown here.

Best of all, it’s still scheduled to hit its release date on September 15th.

From Annapurna Interactive and Great Ape Games comes The Lost Wild, a survival-horror game about Saskia, a lone woman working to survive on an abandoned island where dinosaurs have become the dominant lifeform. With one of The Lost Wild‘s key staff members coming from Alien: Isolation, fans should already know what to expect: tense gameplay where surviving is less about fighting off the ever-present enemies and more dependent on finding creative ways to escape.  Originally announced back in 2022, The Lost Wild has spent a long time in the oven, a reminder of just how difficult game development is these days.

I’m not sure anyone was asking for a new Stuntman game … at least, not before Saber Interactive revealed Stuntman Hollywood. Reviving a franchise from the 2000s, the game brings a new twist to the series. By teaming up with NBC/Universal, Hollywood lets players re-enact stunts from films like Fast & the Furious, and shows like Knight Rider and Miami Vice. While this is aimed at a specific crowd of ’80s and ’90s kids, it’s at least an idea that hasn’t been done before. Currently, there is no release date, so fans shouldn’t get too excited for the game just yet.

It was just a few months ago when Amazon Games Studio announced Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, a remake and re-imagining of the original Tomb Raider title. Announced alongside a brand-new Tomb Raider: Catalyst, it was meant to arrive in 2026 while Catalyst came out in 2027.  Instead, Legacy of Atlantis’ shiny new trailer comes with confirmation the game has been delayed to February 10th, 2027.

Personally, I’m given to believe that this delay occured because they couldn’t release it anytime in October, and literally no one wants to get in the way of Grand Theft Auto VI. This also raises the question of what happens to Tomb Raider: Catalyst, but it doesn’t surprise me that Amazon Games and Crystal Dynamics want to remain quiet on that for now.

Of course, the biggest reveal of the show was Sony Santa Monica’s next game, God of War: Laufey. One of the industry’s worst kept secrets, it looks to follow the story of Kratos’ wife Laufey (Deborah Ann Woll) following her passing at the beginning of the 2018 game. Although it follows an entirely new protagonist, Laufey feels similar to the original God of War games — she’s landed in a realm that’s likely going to require her to fight and kill a lot of gods.

This is probably the most Sony’s shown of a game in a reveal since The Last of Us Part II back in 2019, as they gave offered a full twenty minutes of gameplay. It’s impressive work, as we get a feel for the characters, the world, and the combat. While there’s no release date — and considering they had this much to show already — it wouldn’t surprise me if this game is scheduled for a 2027 release.

This year’s summer State of Play went in a strange direction to me. Aside from Until Dawn 2 and God of War: Laufey, the vast majority of projects shown were for the next five months of gaming. What it demonstrated more than anything was how terrified the gaming industry is of Grand Theft Auto VI, as not a single game was scheduled for November.

Given how much this show broke from the norm, I was surprised at how little “new” there was. At the same time, with so many other showcases planned not just now but for the Fall, it’s also not surprising in the least.  Plus, if nothing else, Sony’s first-party titles look great.