Despite the focus on new intellectual property, Santa Monica Studios is unlikely to stop manufacturing God of War games, so there is some speculation about what the story of the next title could be. Previously, it was confirmed that God of War Ragnarök would conclude the Norse saga of the series, leaving it as a duology. However, the Valhalla The DLC released for the game has suggested that there may be more Norse stories to tell.
The first new God of War The game focuses on Kratos and his son Atreus as they travel together to scatter his mother's ashes atop the highest peak in the Nine Realms. This leads to Atreus discovers he is a Jötunn, or Giant, along with his mother Faye. In God of War RagnarökAtreus' story follows this revelation as he learns more about himself and his identity alongside his people.
God Of War: Ragnarök Defines Atreus' Journey
Atreus goes in search of the remaining Jötnar
While Valhalla saw Kratos reckoning with his violent past and featured several callbacks to classic titles that reconciled the newer and older series. He and Atreus had gone their separate ways at this point, opening up another potential storyline that Santa Monica Studio could pursue in an upcoming game. Atreus believed that all Jötnar were deadwhich further increased his struggles, as he sought answers that Kratos could not provide.
Later in the game, Atreus learned from Angrboda, one of the last remaining giants of Jötunheim, that this was not the case and that his ancestors were not extinct as he initially believed, with the potential to resurrect their species. At the end of the game, Atreus tells Kratos that he plans to go out alone to find the other Giants.which Kratos accepts, recognizing his son's birthright.
This gives Atreus a definitive future mission to pursue and potentially allows room for his relationship with Angrboda – who has become close to him over time. God of War Ragnarök. Atreus' relationship with Angrboda could grow over the course of a possible sequel, along with other characters he met in the previous game. For example, Thrud, Thor's daughter, could play a big role in continuing the adventure with Atreus.
Given that God of War Ragnarök Featuring sections in which the player controls Atreus, fans have already speculated that the next entry in the series could be a spin-off game with Atreus as the sole protagonist. This is similar to what Marvel's Spider-Man The series did where Miles Morales got his own independent entry to grow and develop as a hero before working alongside the original hero, Peter Parker, in the sequel.
An Atreus spin-off would incorporate some different gameplay mechanics
Atreus and Kratos played differently in God of War: Ragnarök
With Atreus growing up and no longer being an NPC who accompanied Kratos in God of War to be a fully playable character in God of War Ragnarökplayers already have an idea of how he will act as a character. While Kratos had more weight in his gameplay due to his age, size, and years of experience, Atreus was much more agile, using a bow given to him by his mother as his main weapon.
There were several moments throughout God of War Ragnarök this made it clear that although he may have been trained, Atreus did not have his father's experience. This showed that, despite the adventures he has had, Atreus is still somewhat unrefined as an adventurer and warrior when trying to copy his father. This could allow Atreus to develop his own combat style, with an entire game centered around him gaining confidence in unique abilities.
While God of War Ragnarök it certainly had an Atreus focus at its core, an autonomous journey could allow him to transform into something totally new. As Atreus discovers the meaning behind his destiny as Loki, he will be able to discover more about the Jötnar and the legacy they left him.
Many have experienced some of Atreus' magical abilities firsthand, seeing him channel giant magic through his attacks. Atreus also has his equivalent to Kratos' Spartan Rage Mode, seeing him transform into his wolf form. As Atreus learns more about his heritage and what the Jötnar can do, there's potential to see these abilities change and develop further. as Atreus becomes even more skilled at them.
This evolution ensures that if he reunites with Kratos in a future title after his spin-off, both characters will have experienced growth to potentially make them more equal in combat. After the extensive emotional development that Kratos received in Valhalla DLC, future games are unlikely to follow its story further.
At the time of writing, Santa Monica Studio has yet to officially announce its next title, so this is purely speculation. However, an Atreus spin-off would be a great way to change things up while also building on what has been established before. Santa Monica has gone on record saying that its next IP will not be a future God of War game, so it may be some time before we see Atreus or Kratos again.