Timeline

Timeline is one of the first places God of War fans start arguing, and for good reason. Faye is already gone before God of War (2018), yet the reveal puts her center stage. The safest read right now is that Laufey will lean on Faye's past, aftermath, or a setting that bends the usual timeline rules rather than fitting into one clean box.

According to updated information from Wikipedia, the narrative begins immediately after Faye's funeral at the start of God of War (2018). Faye awakens in the Everywhen — described as "the afterlife of the gods of all mythologies" — where she battles gods of war from various pantheons and discovers that the plan she set in motion to protect Kratos and Atreus is under threat.

Cory Barlog was explicit about the game's series placement in the IGN exclusive interview:

“Everything that we're doing in this game runs parallel to 2018 and Ragnarök, and ties directly to everything, so it's all part of a single universe. None of this is telling a side story. This is very much a new chapter in a single grand work, and we're starting to show everyone that this is richer than you think.”

That quote is the clearest official word on Laufey's timeline status. It is not a prequel. It is not a spin-off in the “optional side story” sense. It runs parallelto GoW 2018 and Ragnarök and ties directly into the main narrative. Faye's story in the Everywhen is happening at the same time Kratos and Atreus are spreading her ashes and fighting through the Nine Realms.

• Faye lives in Jotunheim as "The Guardian"
• Faye is linked to a legendary clash with Thor before the events of 2018
• Faye meets Kratos in the Norse woods
• Faye and Kratos marry, Atreus is born
• Faye leaves behind markers and prophecies
• Faye passes away (before the events of GoW 2018)

• Kratos and Atreus spread Faye's ashes at the highest peak
• Journey through Midgard, Alfheim, Helheim, and other realms
• Atreus discovers he is Loki
• The truth about Faye's Giant heritage is revealed
• Fimbulwinter begins at the end

• Kratos and Atreus journey through the Nine Realms during Fimbulwinter
• Atreus searches for Týr and his own path as Loki
• Ragnarök — the prophesied end of the Norse world
• Kratos survives, Atreus departs on his own journey
• Asgard falls and Odin is defeated, leaving the Norse world changed rather than neatly finished

• Faye dies and is laid to rest (opening of GoW 2018)
• Faye awakens in the Everywhen — an afterlife realm where gods from all mythologies exist after death
• The Everywhen's magic density is amplified a thousandfold compared to the Greek and Norse realms
• Faye can hear Kratos' voice and see his apparitions — a cross-time perception unique to this setting
• Faye battles gods of war from various pantheons (Norse, Egyptian, Mongol, and more)
• Sekhmet (Egyptian) and Begtse (Mongolian) are confirmed as named encounters in the Everywhen
• Faye discovers her plan to protect Kratos and Atreus is under threat in this realm
• Faye earns Rue's trust and gains use of a legendary sword to escape captivity
• Phranque, a gelatinous companion, travels with Faye throughout the journey
• The Everywhen pulls multiple myth traditions into one unified space, fundamentally expanding the God of War universe

One of the most significant timeline details from the IGN interview is Faye's ability to perceive Kratos from within the Everywhen. She can hear his voice and see his apparitions. Since her story runs parallel to GoW 2018 and Ragnarök, she has just been separated from her husband and son — making these visions emotionally charged as well as narratively significant.

Whether this is a one-way connection or whether Kratos can sense Faye during Ragnarök remains unconfirmed. But it raises the possibility that Faye's story in the Everywhen may intersect with or influence events we have already seen from Kratos' perspective.