His vengeance against the Gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse Gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive… And teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series—satisfying combat; breathtaking scale; and a powerful narrative—and fuses them anew. 

Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son.

SCEA Santa Monica Studio's creative director Cory Barlog has revealed that God Of War has gone gold!

God of War is GOLD, baby!!!

Going gold is an important milestone for a game. In fact, it is one of the ‘big two’ really. You have getting ‘greenlit’, which kicks off the real development of your title, and ‘going gold’ as the two most important milestones in a game’s development cycle. The latter is the rite of passage that lets the team — and, more importantly, the world — know that the game’s development is pretty much complete. All that remains is the manufacturing and shipping part of the process.

Going gold means so much more to me with this game. It has been a long and exhausting journey filled with laughs, arguments, and a healthy dose of fear – with a side of doubt. This was the scariest, most wonderful thing I have ever done and I can honestly say it would never have been possible without the full-throated support of Sony and the tireless work of the incredible team at Santa Monica Studio. We have been through a lot together and I would not change a thing. You are the best damn team a director could ever hope for and I am thankful beyond words for every ounce of passion and pride you put into this game.

Because this story is about fathers and sons, I wanted to thank my father, James Barlog, a source of inspiration and a great writer, who instilled within me the drive to create and the fortitude to survive the difficulties that come with that vocation.

April 20 is fast approaching and I speak for the entire team here when I say we truly cannot wait for all of you to get your hands on this game.

Thank you to everyone for your support of an industry that allows me to prolong my childhood indefinitely and make a living telling people stories.

— Cory Barlog

From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains, and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods. With an added emphasis on discovery and exploration, the world will draw players in to explore every inch of God of War’s breathtakingly threatening landscape—by far the largest in the franchise.

With an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before, fights in God of War mirror the pantheon of Norse creatures Kratos will face: grand, gritty, and grueling. A new main weapon and new abilities retain the defining spirit of God of War while presenting a vision of violent conflict that forges new ground in the genre.

God Of War is scheduled to launch on April 20, 2018.