There are still a few months away before God of War Laufey is here, but that hasn’t stopped Sony from already revealing the pre-order bonuses for both the base game and the Digital Deluxe Edition. God of War Laufey is one of the games I have been looking forward to the most. Even before it was officially announced, I was caught up in the rumor mill’s claims of a Faye-led God of War story. Despite my excitement, pre-order bonuses rarely ever grab my attention. Most pre-order bonuses do little to actually add to the experience, but God of War Laufey is a bit of a different story, because these bonuses still have to be unlocked through progression.
Now that the God of War Laufey pre-orders are live, the game feels closer than ever. Santa Monica Studio’s next dive into the Norse realm looks like it already has what it takes to be one of the best games of 2027. Of course, only time will tell, but I and many others are hyped to step into Faye’s shoes. I’m still not sure if I’m going to take the leap and pre-order yet, but it’s promising to see that God of War Laufey‘s pre-order bonuses aren’t fast-tracking the experience.
God of War Laufey’s Approach to Pre-Order Bonuses Doesn’t Give Players the Easy Way Out
Pre-order bonuses in gaming have been the standard for around two decades at this point, so God of War Laufey jumping on this bandwagon isn’t exactly anything new. However, the refreshing part about these pre-order bonuses, though, is that players still have to push through the game’s challenges in order to unlock them. A lot of pre-order bonuses nowadays entice players with powerful armor and items, which makes them overpowered during a game’s early stages. Granted, not every single pre-order bonus is like this, but it’s common enough that seeing God of War Laufey‘s disclaimer that says, “Unlock in-game items via story progression,” feels like a breath of fresh air.
God of War Laufey’s Pre-Order Bonuses
- Last Wish Armor Set
- Phranque Golden Leaves Appearance
- Resource Pack
- Dark Alchemy Armor Set (Digital Deluxe Edition)
- Dark Alchemy Blade (Digital Deluxe Edition)
- Dark Alchemy Bow Scales (Digital Deluxe Edition)
- Dark Alchemy Catalyst (Digital Deluxe Edition)
- Resource Pack (Digital Deluxe Edition)
- Digital Artbook (Digital Deluxe Edition)
- Official Digital Soundtrack (Digital Deluxe Edition)
If flashy armor sets are your thing, then these God of War Laufey cosmetics are bound to pique interest. Some players might be frustrated that these pre-order bonuses are tied to progression, but this isn’t the first time that a God of War game has done this. Ragnarok‘s pre-order bonuses offered special Kratos armor sets that were tied to progression as well, so Laufey is simply continuing to carry the torch.
Overpowered Pre-Order Bonuses Undermine a Game’s Intended Design, But God of War Laufey Makes Players Earn Their Rewards
Games are supposed to be a challenge at the beginning, especially when it’s an essential piece of the story’s DNA. In God of War Laufey‘s story, Faye wakes up in the mysterious world of the Everywhen and learns that she has to worry about powerful gods like Begtse and Sekhmet. If she woke up in the Everywhen with the Last Wish armor on, it would immediately break the immersion. Whether it’s Kratos or Faye, both characters’ journeys have to feel like daunting obstacles to overcome, otherwise it completely squashes any tension the devs intended for players to feel.
The Case for God of War Laufey’s Pre-Order Approach to Be the Standard
- Players have to work hard to earn the rewards they signed up for.
- Gaining bonuses through progression makes them more satisfying to unlock.
- Progression-tied pre-order bonuses feel more like part of the game’s DNA instead of just meaningless add-ons.
More developers and publishers need to follow in God of War Laufey‘s pre-order footsteps, because devs put in too much time and effort for their work to be trivialized by a powerful armor set or weapon that makes early in-game progress feel like a walk in the park. Faye’s story in God of War is a completely never-before-seen side to the Norse saga, and it needs to be believable. Taking on the likes of Begtse and Sekhmet just isn’t convincing if she’s just as strong as them from the beginning.
Faye’s journey is shaping up to be one of the most important chapters in the series, and it’s thrilling to think of what God of War Laufey‘s Everywhen realm has in store. It’s likely that Begtse and Sekhmet are possibly the least of Faye’s worries. Since the Everywhen is a realm for dead gods, this opens the doors for past gods like Odin and Ares to come back into play, plus plenty of room for more gods that have never been part of the God of War games to make their debut.
Santa Monica Studio has already revealed an exciting amount of details about God of War Laufey‘s story, but it’s going to be even more fascinating watching how Faye progresses as she fights to take down the gods that are keeping her from helping Kratos and Atreus. I understand why people would be frustrated with having to unlock pre-order bonuses via progression instead of getting them from the start, but tying these types of rewards to in-game progress isn’t just better for the game’s design; it makes everything more worthwhile for the player, too.
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Number of Players
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Single-player
