Has God Of War: Ragnarok Been Delayed Until 2022?
Sony is once again asking "war, huh, what is it good for?" with the upcoming God of War sequel. After Kratos kicked the chiselled buns of the Greek gods, he picked up his axe and headed to Norse mythology for 2018's God of War. We know a sequel is on the way for the PlayStation 5, with Kratos set to play hammer time with Thor and continue the story following THAT cliffhanger ending.
The bold reinvention of the long-running franchise was a breath of fresh air as the PlayStation-exclusive went on to become one of the PS4's best-selling games of all time. It's no surprise there's plenty of hype surrounding the tentatively titled God of War: Ragnarok, however, some fans are worried the title has been delayed. The PS5 is already boasting some immense exclusive titles including Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon's Souls, and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, while God of Thor: Ragnarok was tipped to be a major addition to 2021's line-up.
Why do fans think God of War: Ragnarok has been delayed?
A new PS5 showreel has showed off a slew of upcoming titles and highlighted titles including Ratchet & Clank and Horizon Forbidden West. Suspicions were raised when God of War: Ragnarok was mysteriously MIA. The fact that the advert spanned the entirety of 2021 has sparked fears that Ragnarok will be pushed into 2022. Bearing in mind the game's first reveal trailer sketched out a 2021 release window, it's a mystery at why such a big hitter wouldn't be included in Sony's showcase.
It's no secret that games are often shifted from their original release dates. You only have to look at what happened with Sony's The Last of Us Part II or the ongoing problems with Cyberpunk 2077 to see this in action. Maybe the publisher hoped it could slip the Ragnarok delay under the radar without anyone noticing? A delay fits with the fact the God of War sequel doesn't even have an official title yet - everyone just decided to call it Ragnarok. Players have also seen no actual footage since the announcement trailer, suggesting a 2021 release would be ambitious, to say the least.
Why it's good for God of War: Ragnarok to be delayed
Looking at the bigger picture, it would definitely be a blow if God of War: Ragnarok is delayed, however, it might not be all bad. We're only just getting to grips with Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which is also diving into the realms of Vikings and Odin. Expect Valhalla to charge forward into 2021, meaning two Norse games jostling for space next year might be overkill. AlthoughValhalla and Ragnarok are very different in story and mechanics, pushing the latter in 2022 could be a clever marketing move.
The Sony showcase has proved there's already A LOT on the horizon for the PS5 in 2021, while 2022 is a little roomier. Apart from the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, there's not much to mark in your diaries for 2022 (yet). It's only the tail end of 2020, so there are sure to be plenty of big announcements of games coming in 2022 - we're looking at you Bethesda. Finally, God of War: Ragnarok would give the PS5 a major boost as it continues to find its stride in its life cycle. Will Kratos get to swing Mjolnir in 2021? We're still holding out hope.
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