New God of War PS4 game: Hidden secrets in trailer, story and release date rumours

It's not God of War 4, and it's not a reboot: it's the new God of War for PS4. Here's what we know about the story, plus gameplay trailer and release date rumours.

Sony started off its E3 conference with a new God of War game. It isn't God of War 4, and it isn't a reboot: the story follows on from previous games. Here's what we know so far about the new God of War for PS4. See also: Everything you need to know about the PlayStation E3 2016 launches

New God of War: Story and gameplay

Santa Monica Studio has been working on the game for several years. Creative Director Corey Barlog says on the PlayStation blog that the aim was to "create a different, better and truly more memorable experience than before".

He explains that it's not a reboot, not a retelling of the original story. Instead he "wanted to reimagine the gameplay, give players a fresh perspective and a new tactile experience while delving deeper into the emotional journey of Kratos to explore the compelling drama that unfolds when an immortal demigod makes a decision to change."

Because in the new God of War, Kratos is a father. The trailer above, which is apparently close to the final opening scene in the game, shows Kratos taking his boy out to hunt deer. Unlike the Kratos in previous games, he's less violent and more restrained. The son is integral to the game, and according to The Verge's interview with Barlog, remains together with Kratos for most of the game. A button on the PS4 controller has even been dedicated to interacting with the boy.

Unlike the wide, cinematic camera angles of previous games, the view is now much closer to Kratos' shoulders. It should be a slower-paced game and many have already commented on how the combat in the teaser has more than a passing resemblance to Dark Souls.

Update 23 June: In this NeoGaf forum thread, users have been poring over every last detail in the trailer, trying to spot clues as to the game's bosses or other characters. So far, there are three main ones: a ghostly figure which is directly above Kratos' son at 3:34 in the trailer at the top. 

Next there's a fairy-like creature which flies briefly in view at 6:46, followed by what looks like a giant snake slithering past in the background at 9:17.

New God of War: Release date rumours

Development is still ongoing, and Barlog says the trailer is an "early first glimpse" of the new game. Right now there isn't even a year to which anyone can pin the game's release. We will, of course, update this article when new information surfaces.