God of War Ragnarok received widespread critical and commercial acclaim when it launched last November. Building on top of 2018’s soft reboot, Santa Monica Studio’s PS4 and PS5 sequel gave fans more of Kratos and Atreus’ powerful father-and-son dynamic. Despite all the action and heartfelt moments that came along with that, though, it’s fair to say that the game didn’t end in the manner that many had expected, meaning some might be hungry for DLC.
Considering how the Norse adventure centered around the mythology’s apocalypse, there was an expectation among some fans that Kratos and Atreus’ ending might not have been as happy as it ultimately was. Because both protagonists are active at the end of the game, though, the door is seemingly now wide open for new adventures. While the prospect of a God of War Ragnarok DLC along those lines is admittedly exciting, there are plenty of reasons why the game is better off without one.
Santa Monica Studio’s Plans
One of the biggest reasons why a God of War Ragnarok DLC might not be the best idea, has a lot to do with Santa Monica Studio. Even though the studio poured its heart and soul into making Kratos and Atreus’ recent adventure, there’s no guarantee that it’s ready to dive back into that universe again just yet. Considering the amount of effort it’s taken the studio to reboot the series and reach the heights it has, it would be understandable if it needed a break.
Players only have to look at Santa Monica Studio’s rumored plans for hints that this might be the case. Currently, all signs point to the studio’s next project being Cory Barlog’s unannounced game. Instead of potentially diverting development support away from that game to create a DLC expansion for Ragnarok, it might be a better idea for more attention to be given to the studio’s next main endeavor. While it and Barlog’s name would likely be enough to get people excited about it, it can’t hurt for a new title to be given more love.
Thanks to the success of God of War Ragnarok, it’s worth keeping in mind that Santa Monica Studio has already been asked about the prospect of it getting a story expansion as well. When the subject has been God of War Ragnarok director Eric Williams, for example, he’s always downplayed the idea while pointing out how much the studio put into the game’s story. While the topic's never been definitively shut down, it sounds as though the studio doesn’t have the appetite for DLC. Based on how Sony tends to give its studios decent creative freedom, it's unlikely to force the situation either.
The Next God of War
Based on the success that God of War: Ragnarok has achieved, it’s highly unlikely that the series will disappear for good, though. Each game has made Sony lots of money, and Santa Monica Studio itself deliberately left Ragnarok’s ending on notes that seemingly set up more adventures. It’s therefore not too hard to imagine it having plans for future games. With all that context in mind, shelving the idea of an expansion could be better for the series in the long term.
One of the reasons why 2018’s God of War was such a hit has a lot to do with the gap that was left between it and the previous entry in the series. Fans had to wait five years after God of War: Ascension for a brand-new adventure. The last chronological entry in Kratos’ timeline happened 3 years before then as well. Letting Ragnarok stand as the complete experience that it already is, without any extra DLC, will likely make the next game just as special as it turned out to be.
God of War: Ragnarok is available now on PS4 and PS5.
