There are a lot of great developers under the PlayStation first-party umbrella, butSanta Monica Studiois arguably the most consistent one. Although the California-based developer has only released a handful of games throughout its 26-year existence, nearly all of its titles have been widely acclaimed. Since 2005,Santa Monica Studiohas exclusively worked on theGod of Warseries, but it’s managed to keep things interesting with each of the franchise’s installments, fromGod of War3toGod of War: Ragnarok. Its next project, however, is reportedly going to be very different from what the studio is typically known for.
In the last few years, some insiders have alleged that Santa Monica Studio is working on an original science fiction video game. Discussions about this new sci-fi title from the company first started to emerge in 2019, whenGod of War(2018) director Cory Barlog cryptically hinted on Twitter that he had started development on a new unannounced project. Later on, in 2022, Barlog outright confirmed that he had been developinga new game at Santa Monica Studio, though he didn’t provide any precise details. Subsequent job listings, in addition to comments made by a former writer at Santa Monica Studio, seemed to confirm that Barlog’s project was a new sci-fi game of some kind.
Santa Monica Studio’s Sci-Fi Game Needs to Differentiate Itself from Intergalactic
Like Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog is Also Dipping Its Toes into the Sci-Fi Genre
If the rumors are true, Cory Barlog’s next project will be Santa Monica Studio’s first new sci-fi IP in over 20 years, since the release ofKineticain 2001. However, the company may not be the only PlayStation first-party studio that’s making its long-awaited return to the genre, becauseNaughty Dog is working on a sci-fi game, as well.
During The Game Awards 2024, the famed developer announced that it was making athird-person action-adventure game calledIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, which would follow the adventures of a space-faring bounty hunter and take place on an alien planet in the distant future. Like Santa Monica Studio, Naughty Dog hasn’t made a game with a science fiction setting in ages, soIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophetwill be a first for the company in a lot of ways.
Naughty Dog was once known for making 3D platformers, but in recent years, it has largely developed third-person shooters. Most of the company’s newest games heavily involve guns and ranged weaponry. AlthoughThe Last of Us Part 2, for instance, features some occasional melee combat, many of its combat encounters require guns to some extent, especially when fighting against bloaters.Naughty Dog’sUnchartedseriesis not very different in this regard, since it also has lots of guns.
Fortunately,Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophetseems to be making a complete 180 on the formula that Naughty Dog has established in its recent titles. Instead of being a traditional third-person shooter, it appears to be more of a melee-focused, third-person action game. Theprotagonist ofIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, Jordan A. Mun, is seen brandishing a red energy swordin most of the game’s marketing material, which suggests that it is the primary weapon that players will use during combat. If so, the gameplay inIntergalacticmay feel very different compared toThe Last of UsorUncharted.
Santa Monica Studio’s rumored sci-fi project will also probably be a third-person action-adventure game, similar toIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. In order to differentiate its game, though, the company should do the exact opposite of what Naughty Dog is doing withIntergalacticand focus on ranged gunplay in its upcoming game instead of melee combat. Unlike Naughty Dog, Santa Monica Studio is primarily known for makingmelee-focused games, so if its rumored sci-fi project contains guns, it could be a welcome change of pace for the developer. By focusing on ranged weaponry,Santa Monica Studiowould not only prove it has the expertise to succeed in another game genre, but it would also be able to set its own game apart fromIntergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
