"Genuinely, I thought I was going to be much more offended by it, but one, I'm not on social media, so that helps, and two, I don't know, I feel totally unbothered." That's Deborah Ann Woll, speaking at Florida Supercon this week, and she sounds about as stressed as someone who just completed a relaxing side quest.
The actress, who plays the title character in the upcoming PS5 exclusive God of War Laufey, has been fielding a wave of online criticism since the game was announced at the beginning of June. A lot of that noise has been directed at her personally, with a subset of the community taking shots at her appearance and the in-game model of Laufey. Woll's response? Essentially, a shrug.
Why Woll isn't losing sleep over any of it
"It's okay if it's not your cup of tea, but in no universe is it bad," Woll told TikTok creator quinnphobic at the convention. The confidence there isn't bluster. Woll reprises the role of Laufey from God of War Ragnarök, where the character appeared briefly, and she's clearly had time to sit with the full picture of what this new game is doing.
Here's the thing: not being on social media is genuinely a superpower when you're at the center of an internet pile-on. Woll acknowledged it directly, and it tracks. The loudest voices in these situations rarely represent the broader player base, and the actual God of War fanbase has largely been curious rather than hostile about the Laufey-led direction.
The backlash itself has a familiar shape. A new game gets announced, it stars a woman, certain corners of the internet react badly, and the discourse drowns out legitimate discussion about what the game actually is. What most players miss in these situations is how little the noise reflects genuine enthusiasm levels. The June PlayStation State of Play where Laufey was revealed was reportedly the most-watched State of Play ever recorded.
What we actually know about God of War Laufey so far
Beyond Woll's comments, the game is still early in its public life. Only one trailer has been shown. The concept itself goes back further than the announcement, with creative discussions around a Laufey-focused game reportedly happening as far back as 2018.
A few concrete details have surfaced. The game is bringing back faster, more aggressive combat closer to the original God of War trilogy rather than the slower, weightier feel of God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök. It will also release on disc, which is notable given PlayStation's recent moves toward winding down physical media. Kratos isn't being retired either, with the developer confirming more games featuring him are in the pipeline.
A release window hasn't been confirmed, but a 2027 launch looks like the working expectation based on current signals.
The bigger picture for the franchise
For anyone who played Ragnarök, Laufey (also known as Faye) was a presence felt throughout the entire game without ever appearing in it directly. Building a full game around her is a bold swing, and the creative team has clearly been thinking about it for years.
Woll's composure in the face of the backlash is the right energy for where this game sits right now. There's one trailer, no release date, and a lot of runway left before launch. The conversation will shift once more gameplay surfaces.
If you want to get up to speed on the franchise before Laufey arrives, the God of War Ragnarök guide collection covers everything from combat mechanics to story breakdowns. The new game builds directly on what Ragnarök established, so the context is worth having.
