God of War: Ragnarok will bring the series’ Norse Saga to a close. It began just three years ago with the release of 2018’s God of War which rebooted the franchise. God of War simultaneously continued the story of the first three games while establishing new characters and a separate narrative. And since its full reveal during PlayStation Showcase 2021, fans have been wondering if Ragnarok will be the saga’s finale. Now we know for sure.
Cory Barlog – creative director at Santa Monica Studio and director of 2018’s God of War – has confirmed as much. And the reason for its sooner-than-expected end may come as a surprise. So, why is Kratos’ time in Midgard finishing earlier than we thought?
Why is God of War Ragnarok the end of Norse Saga?
YouTuber Kaptain Kuba recently interview Barlog, who explained the reasoning behind the saga’s abrupt end. And it all comes down to the amount of time it takes to develop each instalment in the series. “There are several reasons, [but] I think one of the most important reasons is [time]” Barlog said. He added that “The first game took five years”. He also estimated that the second game would take about that long, too. “I don’t know how long it’s going to take but I’m just going to throw out that it’s going to take close to a similar time”.
But why does it matter exactly how long the games take to develop? And why does that mean the series arc needs to end sooner than later? Cory Barlog elaborated that if a third game also took five years to develop, “we’re talking like a span of close to 15 years of a single story. I feel like that’s just too stretched out”. Essentially, he doesn’t want it to take too long to tell the full Norse story to players.
He also explained that two games provides enough time to complete the saga’s narrative without watering it down. “The core of the story’s engine is really the relationship between [Kratos and Atreus] and the complexity radiates out like ripples in a pond. We could make it an ocean and have those ripples just go for thousands of miles, but is that necessary and is that beneficial, or are we feeling like, ‘You know what, it’s just spreading it too far apart?’ The ripples get too far apart and you lose the plot a little bit.”
God of War and The Lord of The Rings
Cory Barlog also compared the Norse Saga to The Lord of The Rings box set, with his vision for God of War being similar to someone sitting and watching each LOTR film back to back without a long gap. While making the comparison, he said: “Wow, I can sit down and have 13 and a half hours of this experience, playing them one after another, back to back’ and I just thought that was fantastic and amazing”. He concluded that he hoped players would get “the entirety of the story” from God of War and God of War: Ragnarok, so a third chapter wouldn’t be necessary.
God of War Ragnarok: What happens after Norse Saga?
It’s currently unclear where the God of War series goes after Ragnarok. With confirmation that the Norse Saga will end here, many fans are wondering what that means for Kratos. Will Kratos from God of War die? We hope not – who knows how the series would do without its chief protagonist. Of course, Atreus could become the primary character but fans aren’t as attached to him – yet. It all depends how their story plays out – and concludes – in God of War: Ragnarok. Perhaps the series will shift its historical/mythological setting again, meaning Santa Monica Studio could start fresh?
God of War Ragnarok release date
All we know for sure is that we’ll have to wait for the game’s launch to find out what happens. So, when is God of War: Ragnarok coming out? Originally, we were looking at a late-2021 launch. But it has since been pushed back to sometime in 2022 due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19. No specific release date in 2022 has been given.
How do you think the Norse Saga will end? Are you excited for God of War: Ragnarok? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other gaming articles…
