Following the announcement of "God of War: Laufey," some players expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to make Laufey the protagonist and release the game exclusively in digital format. However, pre-order performance for the title has surpassed its initial levels when pre-orders first opened. Pre-orders began on September 29, 2026.
Some players familiar with Kratos criticized the change in protagonist. Sony's decision not to release a physical disc version, distributing the game solely through the PlayStation Store as a digital edition, also sparked another wave of discontent.
Regarding pre-order trends, foreign media outlet Playground compared the third day's performance to the typical pattern where sales peak in the first two days before declining. However, the outlet did not provide specific figures for pre-order units, revenue, covered regions, or data sources, meaning its claim of "breaking records" currently lacks verifiable evidence.
The media outlet suggested there may be a gap between online criticism and actual purchasing behavior, speculating that the fresh setting and the appeal of the "God of War" series drove pre-orders; however, these purchasing motivations remain unconfirmed. The game is scheduled to launch on PS5 on February 16, 2027.