Since Sony’s PS5 showcase back in September of 2020, God of War: Ragnarok has been the subject of fan discussion and several theories since its reveal. That’s remarkable considering how over the last 19 months, Santa Monica Studio has only released two relatively short trailers out into the wild. While both trailers have gone on to become two of PlayStation’s most watched YouTube videos, fans are eager for more details regarding Kratos and Atreus’ second Norse-themed adventure.

While Santa Monica Studio’s silence has fueled the demand for news, several recent headlines have arguably stoked those calls even more. Against a backdrop of delays, spearheaded by Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2, some fans are concerned that God of War :Ragnarok could also slip from its ambiguous 2022 release date. Based on a number of factors, it seems unlikely that the game will get pushed back again. However, as time goes by, it becomes increasingly clear that the game will need to make a splash when it inevitably returns to the spotlight.

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Ragnarok’s Unlikely Delay

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Considering how dynamic the gaming industry can be at times, it’s unwise to say that another God of War: Ragnarok delay is completely out of the realm of possibility. Situations can change quickly, as evidenced by the fact that the PS4 and PS5-bound title has already been pushed back once. However, as it stands right now, there’s a decent chance that Kratos’ sequel probably won’t be delayed beyond its 2022 arrival.

For one, recent allusions from Santa Monica Studio regarding the game's positive progress have been backed up by credible insiders. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who was on the money regarding Project Spartacus’ tiered approach to content, has backed up these voices over the last few months. Based on the information he has from his industry sources, the virtual Norse apocalypse is still set to kick-off at an undisclosed point in time later this year.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that part of Santa Monica Studio’s decision to push the game from its initial 2021 release window, seemingly wasn’t because of development issues either. Following God of War: Ragnarok’s appearance at last year’s PlayStation Showcase, the studio announced that it had delayed the game to allow Christopher Judge to recover from back surgery. Having commendably safeguarded the wellbeing of Kratos’ voice and motion capture actor, there’s a chance that the game’s release date is being kept a secret in an attempt to ease the pressure on its other employees.

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Sony’s Future Plans

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Even though Sony has been riding a wave of exciting announcements and releases recently, there’s a sense that a big God of War: Ragnarok re-reveal is going to be needed soon. Following the successful launch of Gran Turismo 7, Horizon Forbidden West, and MLB The Show 22, the publisher’s upcoming lineup is looking a little on the light side of things. Beyond Santa Monica Studio’s sequel, Insomniac Games’ upcoming Marvel projects and Firesprite's collaborative Horizon VR game are the only first-party titles that have been properly unveiled to the public.

It’s also for this reason that it’s hard to see God of War: Ragnarok getting delayed. While it’s true that Sony has historically released its software during the first half of a year, relying on third party partners during later months, 2022 is shaping up to be different. Even with Nintendo’s decision to delay Breath of the Wild 2, it appears as though some significant console exclusives are going to be released by Sony’s rivals. Factors like PlayStation Plus’ relaunch and the critical acclaim of its established library will still drive sales, but there’s a chance the PS5 could be left out of conversations during the holidays unless a big game enters the picture.

Based on the massive success that God of War 2018 achieved, there aren’t many titles from the publisher’s portfolio that would be better positioned to challenge the hype surrounding games like Starfield and Pokemon: Scarlet and Violet. Unveiling a release date for God of War: Ragnarok at some point in the next few months, alongside a cinematic trailer, would be a great way for Sony to get the ball rolling on its holiday push from a marketing perspective. It almost goes without saying, but the bigger the unveiling, the brighter the game and the PlayStation ecosystem’s futures will be.

Ragnarok’s Potential

God of War Fan Shows Off Amazing Mjolnir Replica

If Sony decides to treat fans to the God of War: Ragnarok unveiling they’re clamoring for, there are a number of ways that the publisher could go about showcasing Kratos’ upcoming adventure. Since its official reveal back in 2020, in the grand scheme of things, Santa Monica Studio has kept its cards relatively close to its chest. Over the last 19 months or so, the two trailers that have been shown to fans have amounted to barely four minutes of content. That number shrinks even more, if fans keep in mind the teasing nature of the first video. Beyond a logo reveal and Kratos’ prophetic VO, nothing else was really shown.

While a case can be made for holding back footage in an attempt to avoid spoiling the game for fans, there’s reason to believe that Santa Monica Studio could show more without ruining things. After all, when God of War: Ragnarok launches it will no doubt be a lengthy experience filled with mythology-themed twists, betrayals, and revelations. Instead of detailing specific story beats, a God of War dedicated State of Play showcase could be released to show off what it’s like to play as Kratos in the sequel. Being a series known for its visceral combat, showing Ragnarok's gameplay like this would likely go down well with fans right now.

Santa Monica Studio only has to look to the recent exploits of its extended PlayStation Studios family for examples of this concept in action. Both Horizon Forbidden West and Gran Turismo 7 received similar solo State of Play presentations ahead of their respective launches, which helped to build excitement. If the studio is keen to look closer to home though, the way in which it first unveiled God of War 2018 is another perfect example of the type of showing its sequel needs right now.

At E3 2016 that aforementioned game arguably stole the show with its extended gameplay demo. Showing off an early-game section of Ragnarok would likely be the ideal way to affirm faith in its 2022 release date, whilst drumming up even more hype.

God of War Ragnarok is scheduled to release in 2022 on PS4 and PS5.

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