Something I struggle to understand, and I’m convinced it’s something that will always boggle my mind, is how a video game—a video game—can stir up such violent anger and unhinged hatred in people. At some point, it seems we started believing we were owed something specific that caters to our personal preferences, even if we haven’t had the chance to pay for it because it only exists in the form of trailers and screenshots. God of War Laufey is one of the latest victims of that philosophy, and it’s all because a God of War game had the audacity to feature a protagonist other than Kratos, who has led every single entry in the franchise for over two decades now. Because of that, the game’s lead actress and talent behind its protagonist, Deborah Ann Woll, has personally become one of the targets of the backlash, even though she’s not personally responsible for Santa Monica’s “controversial” decision.
However, despite being such a clear target for online haters, Woll is “totally unbothered” by it all and still deeply in love with what God of War Laufey has managed to accomplish on the creative side. She made the statement at Florida Supercon after a fan asked her how she felt about the seemingly overwhelming negative response to the game’s direction, confirming that her decision to stay off social media has certainly helped with her ability to ignore the animosity towards her. Now, I’m beginning to think she has the right idea about social media, especially considering it allows her to appreciate her creative investments when there isn’t someone in her ear telling her she should be ashamed of them instead.
God of War Laufey’s Deborah Ann Woll Knows How Blissful Ignorance Can Be
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Image via: Santa Monica Studio
Social media and I have a very complicated relationship, because while I do enjoy the odd doom scroll that informs me of the goings-on of friends, family, and the video game industry, I frequently reach a point where I’m just overwhelmed and exhausted by it all. The thing is, it’s not always negativity or toxicity that has me feeling that way either. Many times, it can even lead to me feeling like I don’t measure up or that I’m somehow falling short in life, as I scroll through and see the amazing accomplishments of others. I’m glad for them, but it nonetheless tends to shine a light on the things I’ve either tried to ignore or simply didn’t know were there to begin with.
Who’s That Character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
But when I do finally notice any of those feelings creeping in, I intentionally take a break from social media, and all of a sudden, I’m a happier, more confident person. Any thoughts of not being enough or being unliked by people that really shouldn’t be able to have that much of a hold on me in the first place dissipate, and I’m able to actually enjoy where I’m at, what I’m doing, and who I’m with. In that sense, God of War Laufey‘s Deborah Ann Woll has the right idea about social media, as she seemingly recognizes that staying off of it is one of the best ways she can help preserve the smile on her face and her confidence in the path she’s chosen to walk.
So many of us would love to say we aren’t bothered by the haters, and perhaps at certain points in our lives, we truly aren’t. But there’s no denying how powerful words are and how effortlessly they follow us, reminding us of how big we are or how small we are, how successful we are or how much we’re failing. No matter how invincible we think we are, at some point, words will prove that we aren’t, and if there’s one thing that’s true about social media, it’s that it’s a place where anyone anywhere can say things from their armchairs and appear wise, relevant, and right, despite, many times, being the opposite of all of those things.
God of War Laufey‘s Deborah Ann Woll has the right idea about social media, as she seemingly recognizes that staying off of it is one of the best ways she can help preserve the smile on her face and her confidence in the path she’s chosen to walk.
At the end of the day, what we need to realize is that we can only say the words don’t bother us for so long before they begin eating away at us—our happiness, our confidence, and our overall emotional health. At that point, the best course of action we can take is to remove ourselves from the room entirely and put ourselves in an environment where those words aren’t even being spoken. We can far more easily ignore what is being said behind our backs because we are, after all, ignorant of it. So, like God of War Laufey‘s star actor, we can focus more on pursuing the desires of our hearts without the input and nagging of people who should have no say in what we do or why we do it, and we can be proud of our accomplishments because there is no one left to demean them.
I Don’t Care What Anyone Says—God of War Laufey Looks Incredible
When we got our first glimpse at God of War Laufey, you know what I wasn’t thinking? “How dare they!” Rather, all I could think about was how hyped I was for a new God of War game, and I didn’t spend a single second missing Kratos. Don’t get me wrong, Kratos’ arc throughout the God of War series—especially the reboot—has been one of the most compelling character stories I’ve ever witnessed. As a father myself, God of War Ragnarok had me in tears several times, and to this day, I consider the story from God of War (2018) to Ragnarok‘s Valhalla DLC one of the greatest narratives in video game history. In fact, I’m still a little bothered by the fact that Ragnarok lost Game of the Year to Elden Ring, but it is what it is.
God of War Laufey‘s star cast also includes Jack Quaid as Phranque and Perlina Lau as Rue.
Since completing Ragnarok‘s Valhalla DLC, though, I’ve longed to return to this incredible universe that Santa Monica has created, to the point that I don’t care in what form it comes, so long as it does. That means that, upon seeing God of War Laufey revealed during the PlayStation State of Play event on June 2, 2026, I was ecstatic. Everything about the game looks incredible, from the animations to the environments, from the combat to the narrative. Sure, there are some “concerns” I have that it will just be more of the same, but I say that lightly because, as a person of routine, more of the same never really bothers me—I just want more.
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Image via Santa Monica Studio -
Besides, Kratos’ story is finished as far as I’m concerned. There’s always room to milk even more out of it if you squeeze hard enough, but Ragnarok‘s Valhalla DLC wrapped it all up in a pretty bow, and I’m content with where it all ended. If this is how Santa Monica chooses to carry the series forward, then I’m all for it. Until it arrives, however, I’m convinced I’ll need to take the road that God of War Laufey‘s Deborah Ann Woll has taken and stay off social media. For her, it feels like a move to preserve the confidence she has in her career choices, but for me, it’s all about keeping that yuck away from my yum.
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Number of Players
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Single-player
