God of War Fans Are Failing to Find Sons of Sparta's Supposed 2-Player Co-Op Mode
•February 13, 2026
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Companies Mentioned
Sony Interactive Entertainment
Why It Matters
The false co‑op claim undermines consumer trust and could affect sales of the title and future franchise releases, highlighting the importance of accurate marketing in the premium gaming market.
Key Takeaways
- •Store page initially listed two‑player co‑op, later removed.
- •Players cannot locate co‑op option in game menus.
- •Refund demands emerged due to perceived false advertising.
- •Speculation of future update or unlock after solo completion.
- •Incident may shift Santa Monica’s focus toward genuine multiplayer.
Pulse Analysis
The February 12 State of Play surprise drop of *God of War: Sons of Sparta* caught the franchise’s audience off‑guard with a 2‑D side‑scrolling prequel set in ancient Greece. While the visual style and focus on Kratos’s early training generated strong positive sentiment, the PlayStation Store’s original listing also advertised a two‑player co‑op mode. That promise raised expectations among players accustomed to solo‑only God of War titles, prompting many to purchase the game hoping for shared couch experiences.
The feature, however, never materialized. After launch, players reported that the co‑op option was absent from menus and that the PlayStation Store description had been edited to remove any mention of multiplayer. Community forums flooded with screenshots of the original listing and calls for clarification, while some buyers demanded refunds, citing false advertising. Sony’s silence has amplified frustration, risking erosion of consumer trust in a brand that relies on premium storytelling and transparent communication.
The episode may influence Santa Monica Studio’s roadmap. With Bluepoint’s canceled *God of War* multiplayer still fresh, Sony could prioritize a genuine co‑op mode in a future update or a separate title to salvage goodwill. Industry analysts note that mis‑labeling features can dampen launch momentum, especially as the console market leans toward shared‑screen experiences. Addressing the oversight promptly—through a patch, clear messaging, or compensation—will be critical for maintaining the franchise’s reputation and for capitalizing on the growing demand for multiplayer extensions in premium action‑adventure games.
God of War Fans Are Failing to Find Sons of Sparta's Supposed 2-Player Co-Op Mode
God of War Sons of Sparta Players Can't Find the Co‑Op Option
Players are having a hard time finding God of War: Sons of Sparta's co‑op mode, which is likely because it doesn't seem to exist, despite the feature having been listed on the game's official store page. While plenty of fans have been excited by the surprise announcement of God of War: Sons of Sparta, those looking to enjoy its supposed multiplayer functions may be out of luck.
God of War: Sons of Sparta was shadow‑dropped on players following the PlayStation State of Play live‑stream presentation on February 12. Breaking from the franchise's traditional mechanics, Sons of Sparta is a prequel set in Ancient Greece with 2D side‑scrolling gameplay. It might not be the God of War game fans were expecting to see, but there has been a significant positive reaction following its announcement, with plenty of players ready to dive in immediately and get a look at Kratos' early life and years of training.
However, one feature that was promoted on the game's official PlayStation Store page is evading players, as they've been unable to figure out how to enable the co‑op multiplayer option that was promised. Multiple reports from around the internet indicate that the store page had listed two‑player co‑op as one of the new game's features for several hours after its official release, but those words no longer seem to appear anywhere on the page. Rather, the game's official description on the store page paints a picture of Kratos' tragic past, participating in harsh Spartan training and mounting a rescue operation to save a missing friend.
Given that the store page's wording has been altered, it seems likely that information about the co‑op gameplay option was an error, but fans of the series had already offered up multiple theories as to where it might be hiding before those words were removed. Some fans have speculated that players may need to complete the entire game in solo mode before unlocking the ability to dive back in with two‑player action. Since it's also listed on the store page as a fully offline game, some players have expected that couch co‑op would be enabled, but plugging a second controller into their PS5s has produced no results. Still others believe that co‑op multiplayer may be added to God of War: Sons of Sparta in a future update.
Image via Sony Interactive Entertainment
Even with the store page no longer listing co‑op multiplayer as one of the game's features, it's not hard to see why fans might think it would be included. Several shots from the trailer presented at the February State of Play feature two different spear‑wielding characters jumping and battling monsters across multiple scenes. The store page confirms the second warrior is God of War series character Deimos, who is also Kratos' brother, and reports from players indicate that he shows up during boss fights as a computer‑controlled NPC. Deimos was first mentioned in the original God of War on the PlayStation 2, with an explanation that he was taken by the gods at a young age, and he made his first actual appearance in 2010's God of War: Ghost of Sparta on the PlayStation Portable.
The apparent mistake on Sony's website has angered at least a few players, some of whom said they bought the game specifically because they believed they would be able to play it with a friend or family member. In response, multiple players are asking for refunds to be issued. Although a let‑down to fans, the disappointment over the lack of co‑op play in God of War: Sons of Sparta could push Santa Monica Studios to redirect its future efforts beyond the single‑player experience, especially with images of the canceled God of War multiplayer game from Bluepoint Games still a recent memory.
Systems
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Released: February 12, 2026
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ESRB: Teen / Blood, Violence
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Developer(s): Santa Monica Studio, Mega Cat Studios
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Publisher(s): Sony Interactive Entertainment
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Franchise: God of War
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