Why Another Greek God of War Game Might Actually Not Be a Bad Idea

Highlights

Kratos may still have more to give in future God of War games, but in a more peaceful and healing role for himself and others.
Atreus is set up to be the hero of the next game, with Kratos potentially taking on a leadership role as the Norse God of War.
Revisiting Greece may be a way for Kratos to reconcile his past mistakes, possibly serving as an epilogue or final farewell in the broader God of War story.

The future of the God of War franchise is a bit uncertain. It’s not clear whether the next game in the series will be another Kratos-Atreus hybrid adventure, follow the prodigal son on a solo journey, or make good on the promise of new mythologies laid out in God of War and God of War Ragnarok, but the overarching narrative of the Norse saga might still have some loose ends to tie up.

2018’s God of War and Ragnarok cover a lot of topics: familial trauma and healing, destiny, guilt, power, and, perhaps most importantly, Kratos’ personal journey and emotional transformation. The original God of War saga, the Greek one, is defined by destruction, violence, and death, ending with the annihilation of most of the Greek pantheon, including Kratos’ own father Zeus. At the time, Kratos justified his rampage, but he spends the Norse saga reckoning with his destructive past, a long process of self-reflection that culminates in the godly therapy of God of War: Valhalla, which sees the god accepting his past mistakes and preparing to move forward as a better, more righteous leader, father, and friend.

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Kratos Can Complete His Character Arc by Returning to Greece

Kratos May Be Able to Rectify His Past Mistakes

The Valhalla DLC could have retired Kratos, but it didn’t—not officially, at least. Both the expansion and Ragnarok‘s base game leave things fairly open-ended, and while he probably won’t return as a full-blown, combat-ready protagonist, his story may still have some room to grow. Put simply, while Kratos has done a lot to heal his own psychological wounds, he may not have done enough to heal the wounds he has inflicted on the world, and the ending of Valhalla positions him to do just that.

Although Kratos may still have a few more fights in him, his role in future
God of War
games will probably be considerably more pacifistic, if not benevolent and consciously of value to others; otherwise, his journey in the Norse saga would be undermined.

The ending of God of War Ragnarok sets up Atreus as the hero of the next game, and Valhalla heavily suggests that Kratos will replace Tyr as the Norse God of War—a position that would allow him to leverage peace as much as power. With the Norse realms in a much more stable state, Kratos might be free to return to his homeland, making use of the lessons he’s learned and the perspective he has gained to rebuild and restore Greece, perhaps even making amends with the few remaining Greek gods along the way. This could be the final step in his story, as he could turn his internal growth outward and right his wrongs.

Greece Wouldn’t Have to Overtake the Next God of War Game

Although there’s potential in reincorporating elements of the Greek saga into God of War, it probably isn’t the best choice for a full, post-Norse-saga game. After all, Santa Monica pivoted to Norse mythology for a reason: the setting had been mostly exhausted by the end of God of War 3. On top of this, if Kratos was to revisit Greece as a force for peace, as would befit his character, there wouldn’t be much conflict to explore through gameplay unless the next God of War becomes a city-builder or social sim, which seems unlikely.

Rather, Kratos’ return to Greece, with or without his new allies, could just be part of the broader God of War story. All signs point to Atreus as the next God of War protagonist, so perhaps the next game could feature Kratos rectifying his past in Greece as a B-plot, one that could serve as a sort of epilogue and maybe even a final farewell to the iconic character.