God of War devs confirm plan to move away from Norse mythology

Cory Barlog, the creative director for Santa Monica Studio, explained the decision for the God of War games to move away from Norse mythology after God of War: Ragnarok.

God of War: Ragnarok was finally shown off to the world during PlayStation Showcase, revealing the very first gameplay footage for the game.

The God of War franchise entered the world of Norse mythology with the release of God of War in 2018. Now, that game’s director Cory Barlog says Ragnarok will be the final entry in the Norse storyline for the father-son duo.

Sony Santa Monica

Atreus is back – and he’s hellbent on learning about his powers as a god.

Norse mythology’s final act

Creative director Cory Barlog and Ragnarok director Eric Williams were interviewed by YouTuber Kaptain Kuba, and shed some light on why Ragnarok will wrap up the Norse storyline.

• Read More: Deathloop’s lack of a morality system is actually its best feature

Barlog fielded the question by admitting it was his idea saying, “There are several reasons. I think one of the most important reasons is, the first game took five years. The second game, I don’t know how long it’s gonna take, but I’m just gonna throw out that it’s gonna take a close to similar time to do this. And then you think ‘Wow, a third one’, we’re talking a span of 15 years for a single story.

“And I feel like that’s too stretched out. I feel like we’re asking too much to say the actual completion of that story, taking that long feels too long. And given sort of where the team is at, and where Eric is at and what he wanted to do, I was like looks, I think we can actually do this in the second story. Because most of what we’re trying to do from the beginning was to tell something about Kratos and Atreus. The core of the story’s engine is the relationship between these two characters.”

Time is 15:17

Wrapping up the Norse mythology storyline doesn’t mean the God of War franchise will be done for, however. God of War (2018) sold over 10 million units in its first year creating $500 million in revenue, making it one of the best-selling games for the PlayStation 4.

Whatever happens with the Kratos and Atreus storyline in Ragnarok, it certainly won’t be the end of their journey.