DISCOVER GOD OF WAR



INTRODUCTION

Starting with the release of God of War in 2005 on PlayStation 2, Santa Monica Studio has created seven games across multiple platforms up to the most recent release in 2018.

Now comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018), God of War Ragnarök.

Join Kratos and Atreus on a mythic journey for answers before Ragnarök arrives. Together, father and son must put everything on the line as they journey to each of the Nine Realms. Throughout stunning mythological landscapes, they’ll face fearsome enemies – from Norse gods to wild beasts – as they prepare for the showdown of their lives.       

Armed with his trusty weapons of war – including the Leviathan Axe and the Blades of Chaos – Kratos’ deadly skills will be tested like never before as he fights to protect his family. A host of new abilities for him and Atreus also await, leaving room for fluid, expressive and customizable combat in this epic and unflinching tale.   

All the while, Asgardian forces assemble…



 

EXPLORE THE GOD OF WAR SERIES

God of War Ragnarök

Original release: PS5, PS4
Release date: November 9, 2022

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God of War

Original release: PS4
Original release date: 2018

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God of War: Ascension

Original release: PS3
Original release date: 2013
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God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Original release: PSP
Original release date: 2010

God of War III

Original release: PS3
Original release date: 2010
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God of War: Chains of Olympus

Original release: PSP
Original release date: 2008
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God of War II

Original release: PS2
Original release date: 2007
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God of War

Original release: PS2
Original release date: 2005
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GOD OF WAR ON PC

Kratos and Atreus' 2018 adventure is now available on Steam and Epic Games Store with a range of optimizations for PC players.

PC features:
  • High-fidelity graphics
  • NVIDIA® DLSS and Reflex Support
  • Controls customization
  • Ultra-wide support 

BEGIN THE JOURNEY

In contrast to the Greek pantheon, God of War (2018) and God of War Ragnarök set Kratos on a new journey with the Norse world, leaving his old life behind and seeking a new life with his son Atreus.

A fantastic odyssey
Father and son
Combat
Exploration
Our Norse universe
Incredible creatures
Bear's score

A fantastic odyssey

From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters and gods. 

The quest to redeem Kratos

Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods, Kratos must adapt to unfamiliar lands, unexpected threats, and a second chance at being a father. Together with his son Atreus, the pair will venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfill a deeply personal quest.


“The son is the humanity that Kratos lost. He’s that mirror that’s reminding him that there is a different way, a way that he might have forgotten so long ago. 

 -Cory Barlog, Creative Director

The quest to redeem Kratos

Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods, Kratos must adapt to unfamiliar lands, unexpected threats, and a second chance at being a father. Together with his son Atreus, the pair will venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfill a deeply personal quest.


“The son is the humanity that Kratos lost. He’s that mirror that’s reminding him that there is a different way, a way that he might have forgotten so long ago. 

 -Cory Barlog, Creative Director

"Be a warrior"

A saga borne of ash

"Behind the curtain" God of War panel

Father and son

A second chance — Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son. 

Atreus is the humanity that Kratos lost

 "From a story perspective, Atreus is the humanity that Kratos lost. He's helping Kratos understand what it was like to be a human and Kratos is trying to help the kid understand what it means to be a god. The kid has no idea about any of that stuff. They're both sort of teaching each other a little bit and kind of helping each other hobble through a very difficult emotional journey."          

 -Cory Barlog, Creative Director (Mashable)


“Atreus only knows the world that he lives in with his dad. They've lived in this forest, a very small area. They're going out on the road together. Dad is just Dad. You don't really know any different. That's just a parameters for his life. As he starts to learn who he is, how he fits into all of this and who his dad is, it's an interesting sort of way that—he sees life differently than we see Kratos. He allows us to see Kratos with a slightly different lens because he's experiencing it all differently.” 

 -Cory Barlog, Creative Director (Vice)

Atreus is the humanity that Kratos lost

 "From a story perspective, Atreus is the humanity that Kratos lost. He's helping Kratos understand what it was like to be a human and Kratos is trying to help the kid understand what it means to be a god. The kid has no idea about any of that stuff. They're both sort of teaching each other a little bit and kind of helping each other hobble through a very difficult emotional journey."          

 -Cory Barlog, Creative Director (Mashable)


“Atreus only knows the world that he lives in with his dad. They've lived in this forest, a very small area. They're going out on the road together. Dad is just Dad. You don't really know any different. That's just a parameters for his life. As he starts to learn who he is, how he fits into all of this and who his dad is, it's an interesting sort of way that—he sees life differently than we see Kratos. He allows us to see Kratos with a slightly different lens because he's experiencing it all differently.” 

 -Cory Barlog, Creative Director (Vice)

Bringing Atreus to life

Father and son trailer

Combat

Vicious, physical combat with an over-the-shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before.

Fights in God of War mirror the pantheon of Norse creatures Kratos will face: grand, gritty, and grueling. A new main weapon and new abilities retain the defining spirit of God of War while presenting a vision of violent conflict that forges new ground in the genre.

"Right away the magic of throwing the axe, having it stick anywhere in the world, and then recalling it, and then kind of playing around with that, and realizing you can hit people with it, you can throw it behind them, move in front of them, recall it and hit him in the back."

-Cory Barlog, Creative Director (GamesRadar+)

Magic of throwing the axe

The Leviathan Axe

A darker, more elemental world

With an added emphasis on discovery and exploration, the world will draw players in to explore every inch of God of War’s breathtakingly threatening landscape—by far the largest in the franchise.

From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains, and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods. 

“We don’t force you to go find something, but when you do, you are rewarded. You are rewarded with things like “Wow, there’s an entire level over here!” And I think that sense of discovery is so important. Linearity can drive you through this fantastic story – you’re always going to be driven forward by the development and arc of the characters – but at any given point in this game, you can pull the lever on the bus and stop to look around, and then get back on the bus and keep going."

- Cory Barlog, Creative Director (Game Informer)

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Our Norse universe

God of War takes place at the time when powerful Gods and incredible monsters walked the Earth. Our Norse universe is steeped within a darker and more elemental world.

Prehistory point

While real Norse lore and mythology was extensively researched by our team and is often heavily drawn from, this is our unique twist on the Pre-Viking, Pre-Migration Era of Norse Mythology. 

"In the Viking era, they always talked about, 'The gods have abandoned us.' Thor and Loki and Odin all walked the Earth at one point, but they're not around anymore. [The vikings] fight for them, but they're not there. This idea that we're at is saying, we're at a prehistory point, where gods did walk the Earth, when monsters were real before they became extinct."

-Creative Director, Cory Barlog (GameSpot)

Exploring Norse myth

Sindri (Huldra brothers)

Brok (Huldra brothers)

Incredible creatures

Get closer to the terrifying beasts that await you on Kratos and Atreus’ perilous quest.

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"On our journey we will be attacked by all manner of creature. To be effective in combat, a warrior must not feel for his enemy. Close your heart to the desperation, close your heart to their suffering. The road ahead is long and unforgiving, no place for a boy, you must be a warrior". 

-Kratos

Bear's score

Composer Bear McCreary is best known for his incredible work on Battlestar Galatica and The Walking Dead. In his own words, this is what composing the score of God of War means to him.

Scoring God of War 

"My work on God of War began nearly two years ago. One rainy November afternoon, I was called into Santa Monica Studio to meet with acclaimed music producers Pete Scaturro and Keith Leary (with whom I had collaborated closely on Sony’s SOCOM 4: US Navy Seals), to discuss a secret project. 

Our conversation revolved around folk music, mythology, Nordic ethnic instruments, vocal writing, and classical thematic development. "Wait a minute." I asked. "Is this... a new God of War?!" Their facial expressions told me everything I needed to know. And with that, I realized I was tumbling headfirst into a daunting and challenging dream project."

Find out more about God of War (2018)

BEHIND THE SCENES OF GOD OF WAR

Learn more about the making of God of War Ragnarök and God of War 2018 from the creators at Santa Monica Studio.

God of War Ragnarök
God of War 2018
God of War Ragnarök - Shaping the story
God of War Ragnarök - Combat and enemies elevated
God of War Ragnarök - Designing characters and creatures
God of War Ragnarök - Becoming Kratos
God of War Ragnarök - Accessibility explored
God of War Ragnarök - The gods of score
God of War Ragnarök - Building a realm
God of War Ragnarök - Crafting a cinematic
God of War Ragnarök - The ties that bind
God of War Ragnarök - Thank you to the community

A new beginning

How Santa Monica Studio began the journey of creating a new God of War. 

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Defining the Norse direction

A behind-the-curtains look God of War’s development process.

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"Give me God of War"

Senior Combat Tech-Designer, Mihir Sheth gives an in-depth look at the hardest difficulty mode.

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Official Cosplay Guide

Inspired by fans around the world, visit the definitive Official Cosplay Guide. 

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New Game+

Relive the adventure of Kratos and Atreus in God of War's New Game Plus (NG+) mode.

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Musical themes

Composer, Bear McCreary, discusses exploring the Norse score.
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THE EVOLUTION OF GOD OF WAR'S ATREUS

Key developers behind the creation of God of War Ragnarök discuss the process of turning Atreus the ‘boy’ into an older, more complex playable character.

GOD OF WAR COMMUNITY

Connect

Join the community and share God of War artwork, cosplay and much more. For the latest updates on God of War, connect on X, Instagram and Facebook!

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GOD OF WAR FAQs

Depending on the difficulty setting, the average player can expect to take around 20-25 hours total to complete the main story. Players seeking a completionist run can expect around 40-50 hours of gameplay total. Players should enjoy the game at their own pace regardless of the time listed above.

The God of War franchise currently has 8 games in the series, with another installment in the works.

Familiarize yourself with the basics of combat, explore the lore of this legendary setting and get a look at the enemies you’ll face in the official PlayStation guide to God of War. Game director Cory Barlog also has a few tips for going toe-to-toe with some of God of War’s nastier beasts in this video.

God of War Ragnarök was released on November 9, 2022. To get the latest updates, make sure you follow Santa Monica Studio on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook! 

God of War (2018) is currently available for PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5 consoles and PC.

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