Kinda Funny Games Daily: "God of War Studio's New IP Reveal Coming 2026?"

Hosts: Mike and Roger
Date: February 13, 2026
Episode Highlights: Developments at Sony Santa Monica, DICE Awards recap, Legacy of Kain’s return, Sega’s ambitious plans, and more.

Main Theme

This episode revolves around some of the biggest news in gaming: Sony Santa Monica’s rapidly growing project slate—including news on a new IP potentially set for reveal later in 2026—the latest DICE Awards results, the surprise announcement of a new Legacy of Kain game, and Sega’s pipeline of classic IP revivals. Mike and Roger keep things loose and energetic, teasing each other, fielding fun hypothetical sports challenges, and peppering in responses to listener chat.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Sony Santa Monica’s Expanding Slate & Cory Barlog’s Mysterious Next Project

[07:23–14:58]

• Insider reports: In addition to the just-announced God of War trilogy remake and new spin-off "Sons of Sparta," insider Shinobi602 claims another major, non-God of War project is being developed at Sony Santa Monica, likely headed by Cory Barlog.
  • The new game is “not that far,” aiming for a 2026 reveal, possibly at the May State of Play or Summer Game Fest.
  • Shinobi602 specifies that if the reveal slips, it may mean the window between announcement and release will be even shorter.

"There is one more title. Players have been curious about Cory Barlog's next game... During a discussion on ResetERA, Shinobi602 replied... the game is, quote, 'not that far,' barring any delays, of course." —Mike (07:15)

• Remakes & Team Capacity: Roger expresses surprise at the scale—three full God of War remakes, “Sons of Sparta,” and a new Barlog-led game. The studio must be huge to support so many simultaneous projects.
• What IS Cory Barlog’s new game?
  • Rumors suggest it’s not a God of War game, with Jason Schreier previously characterizing it as “not a new IP, but feels like one.”
  • Roger speculates Barlog could reinvent an older PlayStation property, likening the desire to God of War (2018)’s bold refresh ("Let him revive something—maybe Siphon Filter or even Killzone").

"I would like him to do something that feels even more left field than a 2018 God of War... going through the Rolodex of PlayStation properties, picking one of them and being like, I’m going to reinvent this for the next generation.” —Roger (15:10)

• Studio Structure: The guys wonder how Sony Santa Monica compares to studios like Sucker Punch, with so many projects possibly running in parallel.

God of War: Sons of Sparta Impressions

[12:07–13:51]

• Mike played the surprise-release 2D side-scroller for two hours.
• Early impressions: not a huge Metroidvania fan, but the game has grown on him as he advances.
• Roger asks if it “feels like God of War.” Mike affirms: “He’s kicking open chests...ripping the tops off,” with classic Kratos brutality and origin storytelling.
• Both agree: early hours in Metroidvania-style games can feel basic, but the mechanics grow more engaging with time.

DICE Awards 2026 Recap: Standouts & Industry Sentiment

[16:33–23:10]

• Big Winner: "Claire Obscure: Expedition 33" claims Game of the Year, plus four additional awards.
• Ghost of Yotei also shines, taking achievements in character and art direction.
• Death Stranding 2 wins technical and audio design awards.
• Hades 2 secures “Action Game of the Year.”
• Notable moments: Erica Ishii's passionate speech about fair treatment of developers, heartfelt tributes to the late Vince Zampella, and Greg Miller & Stella Chung’s hosting.

“What’s special—when you talk about awards and getting recognized...this is the developers, by the developers, for the developers. It is something special to watch.” —Mike (19:44)

“They always get super niche and specific with awards categories—I always enjoy that. It gives more love to different types of games.” —Roger (19:00)

Legacy of Kain: Ascendance – Series Revival

[29:42–35:18]

• Surprise: The first new Legacy of Kain game in over 20 years drops March 31, 2026.
• Genre: A retro pixel side-scroller featuring four classic characters (Kain, two forms of Raziel, and Ellyliel).
• Art & Music: Uses pixel graphics, some anime cinematics, plus PS1-inspired 3D segments. Original voice cast returns; Selldweller score.
• Mike and Roger reminisce about the series, noting the resurgence of classic design and expressing hope it’ll spark renewed interest in a full-scale follow-up.

“I love the look of that. I hope this starts off something where they’re making another Legacy of Kain, because recently it was revealed they’d canceled one in the last few years...” —Roger (34:02)

“If I was a Legacy of Kain fan, I’d be eating good.” —Mike (35:18)

Sega Prepares Four Major Franchise Revivals by 2027

[37:05–45:02]

• Sega financials indicate four major titles from key IPs coming by March 2027.
• Potential candidates: Sonic, Crazy Taxi (possible battle royale spin), Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, Virtua Fighter, Yakuza, Golden Axe, Alien: Isolation, and Persona 4 Revival.
• Hosts debate which will qualify as "mainstay" IPs, with strong bets on Sonic, another Yakuza, Crazy Taxi, and Streets of Rage.
• Sega also intends to maximize sales via microtransactions and transmedia projects.

“How many of these titles could fall under ‘major new titles for mainstay IPs’ is unknown...a lot of games won’t make the cut if there’s only four.” —Mike (37:05)

Sega’s Challenges: Sonic Rumble’s Poor Performance & Rovio’s Struggles

[45:20–47:01]

• Sega cites Sonic Rumble (Sonic-themed Fall Guys-like battle royale on mobile/PC) as underperforming, alongside sluggish results from their Angry Birds acquisition (Rovio).
• Hosts express surprise Sonic Rumble didn’t make more of a splash; Mike was not aware of the game.

Listener Super Chats & Community Engagement

[26:33, 48:23, 51:10]

• Playful debates about whether Mike could score one point off LeBron James or hang with pro athletes.
• Super chats on gaming peripherals (XReal), Destiny/Marathon team-ups, positivity in gaming fandom, and the future of various franchises.
• Lighthearted banter about obscure sports challenges and in-jokes with the community.

Notable Quotes & Fun Moments

• Mike’s Sports Ambition Riff:
  “There’s never a moment when the truth kicks in. Run a marathon any moment, right? Go one on one with Anthony Edwards, any moment... I get one on any level, guaranteed.” —Mike (02:00)

• Roger on Studio Culture:
  “When you look at the pantheon of PlayStation studios...Sucker Punch is such a small studio, working on one game at a time, and then you have Sony Santa Monica, potentially working on three to four projects at one time. It’s incredible.” —Roger (10:35)

• On the DICE Awards:
  “I really love the AIAS Hall of Fame—every year they pull out an incredible human being who does an awesome job with their team and shine a light on this person. It’s awesome to watch.” —Mike (19:44)

• On Franchise Revivals:
  “Let [Cory Barlog] revive something. Maybe a Siphon Filter, genuinely… or take something that existed in this one sphere of time and make it into a Splinter Cell... let’s actually go forward with it because Ubisoft’s not doing it.” —Roger (15:10)

• Humorous Jabs:
  “Brian Scalabrini famously said, ‘I’m closer to LeBron than you are to me.’ …I’ll still give him one.” —Mike (27:45)

Important Timestamps for Segments

• Sony Santa Monica/Barlog discussion: [07:23–14:58]
• Sons of Sparta impressions: [12:07–13:51]
• DICE Awards recap: [16:33–23:10]
• Legacy of Kain announcement analysis: [29:42–35:18]
• Sega’s upcoming mainstay IPs: [37:05–45:02]
• Sega’s mobile segment/Angry Birds/Rovio: [45:20–47:01]
• Super chats/community questions: [26:33, 48:23, 51:10]

Tone & Style

The episode is marked by lively banter, inside jokes, and playful challenges—balancing deep-dive industry analysis with relaxed, accessible humor tailored to both hardcore fans and casual listeners.

Conclusion

This episode of Kinda Funny Games Daily delivers thorough analysis and hot takes on the shifting landscape of studio projects and classic franchise revivals. From speculation about Cory Barlog’s next move and debates over which retro IPs deserve new life, to recaps of heartfelt DICE Award moments and Sega’s mixed recent fortunes, Mike and Roger keep listeners informed and entertained. The mix of news, community interaction, and irreverent camaraderie make this an essential listen for anyone keeping tabs on the ever-evolving world of video games.