Santa Monica Studio dropped a bombshell during Sony's PS5 showcase event on September 16, giving players a tantalizing first glimpse to the next installment of the God of War franchise — God of War Ragnarok. The follow-up to the critically acclaimed 2018 game will come to PS5 in 2021.
Here's everything we learned from our first look at Kratos and Atreus' next bloody romp through Norse mythology.
After revealing the price of the PS5 Standard ($499) and Digital Editions ($399), Sony had one more thing for eager gamers. While we didn't see much footage of the actual game, a distinctive booming baritone told us all we needed to know. Kratos is back, and bad shit is afoot in Nifelheim. Ragnarok, the bloody battle amongst the Norse gods, is here. Or it will be. In 2021.
Unfortunately, the teaser doesn't show any footage of the game itself, or our lead characters Kratos and Atreus. Instead, we hear the distinctive, deep-throated chorus that typified the 2018 game's soundtrack, as a blue omega symbol is painted across the screen in ice. It's spangled with Norse runes, which glow before being swept away by a gust of wind.
"You must prepare yourself," Kratos intones.
More stories from Sony’s September 16 PlayStation 5 Showcase:
- PlayStation 5 finally has a release date, right on the heels of Xbox Series
- PS5 price: Sony reveals how much its next-gen consoles will cost
- PS5 Standard vs. Digital Edition price, specs, features, and which to buy
- PS5 vs. Xbox Series X price breakdown: Which model to pick
- PS5 pre-order guide: How to reserve Sony's console in case it sells out
- Final Fantasy 16 release date, trailer, and story for the PS5 timed exclusive
While Sony and Santa Monica Studio did not officially confirm a sequel to 2018's blockbuster reboot of the franchise until the PS5 event on September 16, the latter hasn't been especially subtle in showing off its enduring enthusiasm for Kratos and his twiggy offspring.
Ahead of the game's release in May 2018, Game Director Cory Barlog told Kotaku that his writing team had a vision for five games. When asked if Odin's role in the game would leave players frustrated, Barlog hinted that players could expect to see Kratos meet his counterpart — Odin's the Norse god of war — in future installments.
"That’s what I wanted. Some of the most compelling series to me don’t always do everything in the first—they set a lot of stuff up so the power of the characters and the interactions in the second or third really resonate strongly," he explained.
In May 2019, Santa Monica Studio released Raising Kratos, a behind-the-scenes documentary chronicling the making of the game. (It's a fascinating watch if you're a fan, or just interested in the games industry more broadly.) Barlog also routinely posts about the game and its characters on his Twitter account, (maybe?) joking in January that he'd like to see God of War become a Netflix series after The Witcher's successful first season on the streaming platform.
