David Jaffe, the original creator, co-screenwriter, and director of the first God of War game, recently defended Ariel Lawrence, the creative director of Laufey, who is currently facing online harassment. Jaffe criticized those using his past professional relationship with Lawrence to personally attack her, calling such behavior "despicable." Lawrence has been involved with the God of War franchise since the first title, but Jaffe, who left the series in 2007 to start his own studio, described their working relationship as tense. During a live stream in September 2026, Jaffe discussed his time with Lawrence while commenting on images from God of War: Laufey, a new installment in the franchise. Jaffe explained that their personalities were incompatible and that he did not feel Lawrence was genuinely passionate about the games they were developing. He stated, "I have absolutely no problem with female game directors. This woman started as a production assistant on the first God of War. We never got along. She found me a bit arrogant, and I found her pretentious. She didn't care about the audience." Jaffe also criticized Cory Barlog, the director of Laufey, calling the game "stupid," and questioned why Barlog hadn't told Lawrence, "It's not the time." Jaffe's comments sparked a mixed reaction within the God of War fan community and the broader gaming world. He later elaborated on Twitter, stating he did not like Lawrence and did not think she cared much for him during their collaboration. He described their relationship as "oil and water," two completely different types of people. He added that she was probably more liked on the team than he was. Jaffe emphasized that Lawrence is a person with a life, feelings, and people who love and care about her, and that it is "cruel" to attack her. God of War: Laufey has faced online hate since its announcement, and Jaffe's comments have intensified the tensions. The game has drawn criticism regarding Deborah Ann Woll's appearance and the fact that a woman is the star of a God of War game, highlighting ongoing issues of sexism and misogyny in gaming culture. Personal attacks against the game's director have exacerbated these issues. Other games, such as Marvel's Wolverine from Insomniac, have faced similar online backlash, though for different reasons. Bruce Straley, the director of The Last of Us, cited Laufey as an example of why modern AAA games no longer excite him, though he later apologized for this comment. God of War: Laufey is scheduled for release on February 16, 2027, exclusively on PlayStation 5.