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He goes by many names: The Murderer of Gaia. The Destroyer of Atlantis. Others call him son, husband, and father. To most gamers, however, he's simply Kratos, The God of War.

Over the past decade, Kratos has become such a huge gaming icon that it's hard to believe that he's only ten years old. The first God of War title premiered on the PlayStation 2 back in 2005, and took the world by storm with its solid combat, its pulpy setting, its brutal boss fights, and yes, its indulgent sex and violence. Since then, the Ghost of Sparta has appeared in six other games, on platforms ranging from the PSP to the PlayStation 3 to mobile phones.

Still, it's been a while since Kratos has shown his pale face. The last game in the series, God of War: Ascension, came over two years ago, and the franchise has yet to appear on Sony's newest console. This July, that changes. As announced by Sony Computer Entertainment, a remastered version of God of War III - the last numbered installment in the series - will grace the PlayStation 4 this summer, commemorating the franchise's tenth anniversary.

Sony didn't share much information about the remake, although an announce trailer confirms that the graphics have received a noticeable upgrade, and the whole game should run at a stunning 1080p resolution. While gameplay should stay largely the same, the upgraded title includes an all-new photo mode, which allows players to capture in-game screenshots, as well as "other additions." God of War 3 Remastered will release on July 14, 2015.

The God of War 3 Remastered video also contains what could be a subtle tease for God of War 4, emphasis on subtle. At the end of the video, the God of War omega symbol flashes four times, building Sony's God of War 10th anniversary logo. Some viewers are taking this to mean that the long-awaited follow-up, God of War 4, is in development.

Of course, that's not exactly new information: Sony employees have mentioned a new God of War title numerous times. Last winter's PlayStation Experience keynote confirmed that a new God of War title is in development. At the same event, Cory Barlog, the creative director at Sony's Santa Monica Studios (where God of War is made), reiterated those claims, while warning fans that a new God of War game would be at least a year away.

According to Barlog, God of War 4 won't be a prequel, although that doesn't rule out an entire reboot. The game might not star Kratos, either, and could take the series in a whole new direction. After all, in God of War 3, Kratos effectively obliterates Greek mythology; previous Sony employees have hinted that other games in the series could feature other characters, and possibly entirely new pantheons of gods to destroy.

Kratos versus Thor and Odin, perhaps? Anyone?

God of War 3 Remastered is a PlayStation 4 exclusive. It should be out on July 14, 2015.

Source: Sony