Bruce Straley apologizes for dragging God of War Laufey into AAA 'boring' remarks
Bruce Straley, the former Naughty Dog director behind The Last of Us, has issued an apology to the team making God of War Laufey. Per VGC, Straley said his recent critical comments about AAA games are "being used out of context" online.
In an interview with Edge magazine, Straley said the "verbs and experiences" in the triple-A space are "boring." He cited Santa Monica Studio's upcoming God of War Laufey as an example, praising its visual craft but saying he wasn't excited by what you actually do in the game. He clarified this was a comment on the AAA industry at large.
Straley took to X to apologize directly. "I want to apologize to the Laufey team for dragging you all into this uninvited and unnecessary negative attention," he wrote, according to both VGC and PC Gamer. He said naming their game was a mistake being exploited for clickbait.
However, he doubled down on his broader critique of the industry. Straley claimed there's a lack of innovation because leadership is chasing games-as-service hits like Fortnite without understanding their own brands. "There's a lack of good leadership, clear direction & conviction from the ppl at the top, in charge of the money," he posted.
God of War Laufey, starring Kratos's wife Faye, is scheduled for release on February 16, 2027.
