When Fortnite's Marvel event came to a close, no one really knew what to expect. There's no doubt that new skins like the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda were impressive enough, but the game managed to double down and bring on PlayStation icon Kratos (from God of War) as well. Rumors indicate that Microsoft's Master Chief will also be joining the battle, really just proving how much of a juggernaut Fortnite actually is.
However, Fortnite remains to be a game which is loved by its fans and practically hated by everyone else; indubitably, there are some who wish Kratos wasn't in Fortnite, despite there seemingly being no major outcry about it. And therein lines the greatest strength for Kratos in Fortnite: not making him dance, but the simple fact that it is marketing gold.
Fortnite and God of War
Fortnite appeals to a variety of gamers in a variety of ways. Among that demographic is also a younger audience, meaning early teens to late teens. Even someone who is 17 may have missed out on the original God of War era, meaning they're not as attached to Kratos as many slightly older gamers. That's not to say every single one of them skipped out on 2018's God of War, but that does mean it's likely that at least a portion of Fortnite players haven't played God of War.
Although it's been a slight gag since Kratos' release in Fortnite, it's worth highlighting that Kratos is playable on Xbox through Fortnite. Xbox owners who don't own a PS4 have likely never played God of War before, and this is a good way to put Kratos front and center. In other words, it may encourage the purchase of a PS5 (when possible) in order to play the original as well as the upcoming sequel.
God of War Ragnarok Sequel PS5
Now, this obviously begs the question of how likely this is, how often it will occur, and how much influence it had on the decision. It's probably a very small percentage. God of War is considered an instant classic, and it did not need Fortnite to hype up its upcoming sequel. Sony doesn't need a playable Kratos on Xbox consoles to sell PS5s. At the same time, given the sheer popularity of Fortnite, how could it hurt? It'll be interesting to see what more becomes of this new relationship, if the idea of a "console war" in Fortnite is really what's coming next, and who comes after Kratos.
What's important is that God of War is getting a sequel next year, and Fortnite gives GoW fans a little taste of Kratos before then. If Fortnite even brought just a handful of new fans to the franchise, then it's impossible to be upset as more people get to enjoy the adventures of Kratos and BOY.
A new God of War game is in development for PS5.