Spoilers ahead for God of War Ragnarok
God of War Ragnarok features an especially explosive finale, building a narrative around the fundamentally destructive, apocalyptic event that is its namesake. Although Ragnarok‘s ending leaves plenty of loose threads to follow, such as Atreus leaving to find the giants and Kratos staying behind as a de facto Norse God of War, most major conflicts within the Norse realms are resolved.
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This raises an obvious question: where does God of War go from here? It’s long been speculated that the franchise could visit another mythology; 2018’s God of War set a powerful precedent with its pivot from Greek to Norse. If God of War Ragnarok‘s sequel were to take players to yet another mythological backdrop, the series could, in theory, continue to tell unique stories on the stages of old religion, making for a wellspring of inspiration for Sony’s Santa Monica team. And while I can certainly understand the reasoning and appeal behind this notion, I’m not completely confident that it’s going to be the franchise’s next move.
Why Do People Think God of War Is Going to Egypt?
References to Egypt in God of War
God of War has repeatedly alluded to Ancient Egypt, with some of the most prominent nods and Easter eggs including:
- God of War (2005): hieroglyphics at the Gates of Athens reference the sun god Aton
- Official God of War novelization: Zeus references Ares’ involvement in Egypt
- God of War (2018): Tyr’s vault contains several artifacts related to Egyptian mythology, such as a statue of the goddess Hathor
Perhaps more significant than any of these references is God of War: Fallen God, a limited comic series released by Dark Horse over the course of 2021. It covers the events between God of War 3 and God of War 2018 and offers the most explicit examples of Egyptian mythology in the series, depicting the Egyptian god Thoth as an ally of Kratos. At the very least, Fallen God leaves no room for doubt about the existence of Egyptian mythology within the God of War canon.
Rumors and Leaks About God of War Switching to an Egyptian Setting
There have been numerous claims made about the next God of War game’s setting, some of them more credible than others. But only recently, Insider Gaming’s Tom Henderson alleged that the next God of War will feature an Egyptian Khopesh. Weaponry is quite significant in God of War, as evidenced by Ragnarok‘s substantial Draupnir Spear quest and the almost immediate icon status of the Leviathan Ax. It follows, then, that the inclusion of the Khopesh would not be superficial.
Other notable leaks have pointed to Sony hiring Middle-Eastern actors for an “unknown AAA game.” Naturally, this mystery game has been assumed to be the next God of War. It should go without saying that these rumors aren’t exactly Earth-shattering, and what they purport could simply be more allusions to Ancient Egypt. In other words, the existence of something like a Khopesh doesn’t necessarily mean the franchise is jumping ship to an Egyptian setting.
God of War: Why I Don’t Buy It
Bringing God of War to Egypt Would Be a Double-Edged Sword
One reason I’m skeptical about God of War going to Egypt is the track record of Santa Monica Studio. Simply put, I think it has something better in mind for the next story. This isn’t to say that an Egyptian foray is doomed to be bad, but the setting change has much greater implications than many seem to think.
A pivot into Ancient Egypt would effectively turn God of War into a quasi anthology series, one where Kratos, Atreus, or both travel to different mythologies every few games. Not only is this a little outlandish, but it’s also thematically at odds with the series as a whole. Kratos seems to be moving further toward a lifestyle of peace and optimism; why would he then get involved with another pantheon’s problems? Even if he were to go to Egypt for altruistic reasons, such as answering a call for help, his motivations would still be questionable.
Kratos isn’t Superman, flying across the globe to solve everyone’s problems. He’s a complex character that still has more than enough on his plate in the Norse realms. The same goes for Atreus. One could argue that his search for the Giants could lead him to Egypt, but this would mean that the Giants had some sort of meaningful relationship with this other realm which, while potentially interesting, is a narrative minefield that could be difficult to reconcile with established canon. This also presupposes that Atreus will be the star of the next God of War, which is far from a given.
There’s Still More for God of War to Explore in the Norse Realms
One of the many reasons why God of War‘s 2018 reboot works so well is the context left behind by God of War 3. By the end of that game, Kratos has effectively burned every bridge and killed every enemy, having fulfilled all his goals. There was nothing left for God of War in Greece.But this is not so in the current chronology, which sees Kratos assuming a leadership role with new, stronger allies. Rather than being left in utter chaos and destruction like Greece, the Norse realms are at the dawn of a new era, one that Kratos may help shape. It would be a massive missed opportunity to pivot to another realm so shortly after this radical character and setting transformation, potentially burning loose ends related to key players like Sindri, Thrud, and Mimir. It would also probably be much cheaper to make another Norse God of War game, so missing such opportunities would come at another kind of cost as well.
While the main Norse saga may have been wrapped up with Ragnarok, there is room for an epilogue-like game that returns to the setting and highlights Kratos’ attempts to shape the Realms. Alternatively, perhaps an Atreus-focused game goes to a new setting, but features interludes where players control Kratos in the Norse lands. Either way, I’m not expecting Santa Monica to go all-in on Egypt just yet.
