God of War Laufey pre-orders open September 29 as Santa Monica reveals Serpent Bow combat

God of War Laufey pre-orders open on September 29 at 10:00am local time, with Santa Monica Studio revealing the pre-order bonuses, Digital Deluxe Edition contents and a closer look at Faye's Serpent Bow combat.

The studio shared the new details on September 28 alongside fresh screenshots and gameplay footage. God of War Laufey launches for PlayStation 5 on February 16, 2027.

What comes with a pre-order

Anyone who pre-orders God of War Laufey before release will receive:

• Last Wish Armor Set
• Phranque Golden Leaves Appearance cosmetic
• In-game resource pack

For the physical Standard Edition, the bonus items come through a download code. An internet connection and PlayStation account are required to redeem them.

Pre-orders go live at 10:00am local time on September 29. For players in the UK, that means 10:00am BST.

No price was announced alongside the September 28 update.

What's in the Digital Deluxe Edition

The Digital Deluxe Edition includes:

• Dark Alchemy Armor Set
• Dark Alchemy Blade
• Dark Alchemy Bow Scales
• Dark Alchemy Catalyst
• In-game resource pack
• Digital mini artbook
• Official God of War Laufey digital soundtrack

The Dark Alchemy equipment ties into Laufey's wider gear system rather than being purely cosmetic. Armor can change Faye's stats and perks, while her Blade, Serpent Bow Scales and Catalysts can also be changed to suit different approaches to combat.

Faye's Serpent Bow has two aiming modes

The bigger gameplay reveal is the Serpent Bow, an enchanted weapon Faye can mix into both ranged and close-range attacks.

Fully pressing the aim trigger puts Faye into a precision mode with greater draw distance. Players can target specific areas of an enemy's body to interfere with their movement or attacks, opening them up for follow-up hits.

Faye can also charge the bow and stack as many as five arrows into a single volley. Santa Monica showed this working alongside Phranque's ability to launch enemies into the air, letting Faye hit them with the charged volley while they are airborne.

Half pressing the trigger works differently. Faye stays more mobile and fires clusters of arrows from a hip-fire stance, making it better suited to close-range combat.

Those faster shots can keep airborne enemies off the ground and extend combos while Faye switches between the bow, her other weapons and abilities.

The Serpent Bow also has several shot types beyond its two aiming modes. Santa Monica has confirmed rapid-fire attacks, explosive shots and attacks that can hit multiple targets.

Scales change how the bow plays

Players can equip different Serpent Scales to the bow. Each one changes its appearance and provides a perk aimed at a particular playstyle.

The Dark Alchemy Bow Scales included with the Digital Deluxe Edition are one example, although Santa Monica has not detailed every Scale available in the full game.

The bow also has unlockable skills, so its options will expand as players progress.

Faye's other equipment follows a similar system. Armor affects stats and perks, the Blade modifies her sword, Scales change the Serpent Bow, and Catalysts are magical artifacts with different effects.

God of War Laufey was first revealed in June 2026. The game shifts the playable lead to Laufey, better known as Faye, with Deborah Ann Woll returning to the role from God of War Ragnarök.

Faye awakens after her death in the Everywhen, an afterlife where gods from different mythologies can meet. Her story involves finding a way through the realm while trying to protect Kratos and Atreus.

God of War Laufey launches for PlayStation 5 on February 16, 2027.