One of essentially the most stunning bulletins throughout the PlayStation 5 occasion in September 2020 was the reveal of the subsequent God of War recreation, which might later be formally named Ragnarok. This would be the follow-up to 2018’s God of War, developed by Santa Monica Studio — the group accountable for most video games within the sequence. Ragnarok’s exhibiting was temporary, however following a brand new trailer throughout a PlayStation Showcase occasion in September 2021, there’s much more we all know in regards to the recreation.
We’ve scoured the web to assemble as a lot as we may in regards to the sequel to 2018’s God of War. Here’s the whole lot we find out about God of War Ragnarok, together with its trailer, launch window, and extra. (Note that we’ll be spoiling the plot of 2018’s God of War, so don’t learn forward should you’re involved about spoilers.)
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Release date
Initially, God of War Ragnarok was imagined to launch in 2021. That’s the discharge window that was given throughout the recreation’s announcement trailer in 2020. But the sport was then delayed to 2022. As a part of the September 2021 PlayStation Showcase, many anticipated Sony to announce the sport’s official launch date, however that wasn’t the case. As it stands, the sport could also be able to go someday within the fall and even winter of 2022, assuming it hasn’t been delayed once more.
In phrases of the event timeline, a 2022 launch window isn’t completely outlandish. Cory Barlog, inventive director of 2018’s God of War, teased the sequel again in April 2019 through a intelligent Twitter thread. Disguised as a put up about his time engaged on God of War, the primary letter of every put up spells out “Ragnarok is coming.” So, even assuming the studio began engaged on the sequel as late as April 2019, having it able to go by fall 2022 isn’t out of the query — particularly because the group may reuse a number of the property and animations from the primary recreation.
In April 2022, Santa Monica Studio posted a video celebrating the four-year anniversary of the reboot, whereas rigorously updating followers on the event of Ragnarok.
4 years in the past, God of War (2018) launched! We’re grateful to all of you who joined Kratos and Atreus on their journey, and we’re so happy with the group who labored to convey it to life.
While we’re not able to share an replace about what comes subsequent, right here’s a fast message from Cory! pic.twitter.com/Z5PHpKQppY
— Santa Monica Studio – God of War Ragnarök (@SonySantaMonica) April 20, 2022
Barlog stated the group was nonetheless laborious at work, explaining that there wasn’t something to point out fairly but. “I guarantee you, the moment — the very second we have something ready to share — we’re going to share it,” Barlog stated.
Another factor to notice is that on the finish of May 2022, a web site referred to as Entertainment Earth had an inventory for numerous God of War Ragnarok merch, main many to consider the timing would coincide with a launch date reveal. Since the merch went stay, it picked up plenty of traction and was ultimately delisted, presumably indicating the validity {that a} main reveal is coming quickly. Along with that, the PS Plus video games for June 2022 had been revealed, one among which is God of War (2018).
With that in thoughts, it’s doable Sony may have an enormous God of War Ragnarok showcase later in summer time 2022, forward of the sport’s launch.
Platforms
We know God of War Ragnarok might be coming to PS5, but it surely’s additionally coming to PS4, as confirmed through a PlayStation Blog put up. It is smart to launch for each platforms, no less than from a enterprise perspective. The tough factor is {that a} recreation like Ragnarok is pricey to make, and certainly Sony needs as many gamers as doable to purchase a duplicate when it releases — even when meaning the general product is held again to accommodate for the much less highly effective {hardware}.
With that in thoughts, it would seemingly be profitable to place it on PS4, simply as Horizon Forbidden West — yet one more PlayStation unique — was a cross-generational recreation. With Ragnarok’s anticipated 2022 launch window, it is smart for it to launch on each programs, as long as the earlier era model doesn’t maintain again the PS5 version. With over 117 million PS4s within the wild, the set up base is plentiful, guaranteeing gross sales on previous-generation {hardware}.
Trailer
A teaser trailer was proven throughout the PS5 occasion in 2020, and when it comes to official details about the undertaking, that was all we knew about for an entire yr. It didn’t exhibit any gameplay or a lot of something apart from a brand and an anticipated launch window. It didn’t even function the sport’s official identify, aside from together with the textual content “Ragnarok is coming 2021.”
Then, in September 2021, Sony unveiled a three-minute trailer exhibiting off new and acquainted characters from the sequence. Most notably, we obtained a take a look at Mimir, Freya, Tyr, and Thor, together with an older model of Atreus. But it additionally featured our first take a look at gameplay, which harkens again to the primary recreation, although it looks like it would have new options, as effectively. Atreus is seen using a magical stag, whereas Kratos wields Blades of Chaos.
The trailer itself has plenty of gameplay footage with out spoiling Ragnarok‘s story or twists. Given the leap forward in the 2018 game, it’s seemingly Ragnarok may have its justifiable share of surprises as effectively. At the tip of the trailer, we get a take a look at a brand new character named Angrboda, a younger woman who might play a big function within the general narrative.
Gameplay
The September 2021 PlayStation Showcase gave us a primary take a look at God of War Ragnarok gameplay, and whereas there have been a few new inclusions (such because the Runic Summon for Atreus), Santa Monica Studios seemingly nonetheless has much more to point out. Much of the trailer centered on returning features just like the well-known boat using sequences, exploration, and fast-paced motion.
“As a team, we’ve worked hard to take our learnings from God of War (2018) and improve upon combat to feel fresh, yet familiar,” stated Grace Orlady, senior neighborhood supervisor at Santa Monica Studio.
“With God of War Ragnarok, one of our main goals was to push player choice in combat. Whether it’s through hard-hitting combos, a mastery of elements, or clever defensive tactics — you will find plenty of opportunities to fight alongside our duo in a way that feels uniquely expressive.”
We’ll seemingly get a extra in-depth take a look at gameplay nearer to launch, however what we do know is that Ragnarok will function much more areas to discover than its predecessor, resembling “otherworldly jungles” and “intricate subterranean mining networks.”
One, unbroken shot like 2018.
— Matt Sophos (@mattsophos) September 9, 2021
Tying the whole recreation collectively might be yet one more single digicam shot, similar to the earlier installment. This was among the finest options of God of War, giving the whole journey a extra private, intimate feeling. Given the premise of telling a heartfelt story of a father and son, the uninterrupted digicam shot provides to the whole expertise.
We additionally know that Ragnarok will implement a plethora of accessibility options, which has been a significant precedence for Sony in recent times. It will embrace numerous subtitle choices — together with the flexibility to vary the scale and colours — full controller remapping, high-contrast mode, and a slew of gameplay help mechanics that enable as many gamers as doable to benefit from the recreation.
Happy Global Accessibility Awareness Day!
We're celebrating by sharing a number of the 60+ accessibility options our group will embrace in God of War Ragnarök. #GAAD #AccessibilityDay #GodofWarRagnarok
Read extra beneath 👇
— Santa Monica Studio – God of War Ragnarök (@SonySantaMonica) May 19, 2022
Multiplayer
While the God of War sequence has featured multiplayer earlier than (particularly in 2013’s God of War: Ascension), it’s extremely unlikely Ragnarok might be something however a single-player journey. The first recreation was a masterpiece, notably as a result of the Santa Monica group centered on the narrative with out some other distractions just like the addition of an arbitrary multiplayer mode. And given the time-frame of supposedly launching this yr, there merely isn’t sufficient time for the group to have carried out a sturdy on-line multiplayer section.
It’s definitely not out of the query, however extremely unlikely. If something, an asynchronous on-line part might be carried out, just like the notes within the Dark Souls sequence. But when it comes to enjoying aspect by aspect with others — whether or not it’s cooperatively or competitively — we don’t anticipate to see something like that.
DLC
It is feasible we’ll see some form of DLC with Ragnarok, although contemplating we don’t know a lot in regards to the recreation itself, it’s nonetheless too early to say for certain. God of War 2018 really did get extra content material after it was launched, together with some additional weapons and a New Game+ mode. As far as additional story content material or main expansions, we wouldn’t wager on it. The God of War sequence is just not recognized for that includes main DLC additions, and we wouldn’t anticipate that to vary with Ragnarok.
Pre-order
Finally, you is likely to be questioning about pre-ordering the subsequent God of War recreation. Unfortunately, it’s not obtainable to be pre-ordered but, however as soon as we get affirmation of the official launch date, pre-orders will in all probability go stay.
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