God Of War Ragnarok Has Tragic LGBTQ+ Side Quest
While the God of War games don't exactly scream gay rights, it turns out Sony Santa Monica has hidden a tragic LGBTQ+ side quest in the Nine Realms - if you know where to look.
Despite God of War 2018 Director Cory Barlog seemingly confirming that Brok is LGBTQ+, there are canonically no characters who are outwardly gay in the franchise's lengthy history.
Still, with Sony Santa Monica trying to be a diverse place, there is at least the shimmer of a rainbow in 2022's God of War Ragnarok. When you know why, it's even more heartbreaking.
What Is God Of War Ragnarok's LGBTQ+ Side Quest?
Posting on Twitter, Sony Sants Monica Senior Gameplay Programmer Sam Handrick explains how "The Ballad of Jari and Somr" honours him and fellow Ragnarok dev Jake Snipes. Sadly, Snipes passed away in 2020 due to complications from epilepsy.
Opening up the side quest "Across the Realms," Mimir tells you about the couple of Jari and Somr - which is a brand-new creation outside of Norse mythology.
After meeting at SSM in 2019, Handrick and Snipes apparently became known around the office for bringing in their baked goods. Handrick explains how he and Jake wanted to leave some nod to the fact the game brought them together inside Ragnarok.
It was originally suggested as a simple heart, which does exist thanks to green hearts painted around the realm. Following Snipes' passing, it became something much bigger.
During "Across the Realms," you have to collect several ingredients (across the realms) and end up at the Eternal Campfire. This everlasting campfire burns with a rainbow-coloured flame to honour the pair. As Handrick writes on Twitter, "Jake was and is a shining light in my life."
Thanking Director Eric Williams for supporting the pair, Handrick concludes, "I wanted this story to be one many queer people know: journeying through a world that doesn't always understand you to find a place that truly feels like home. And sometimes that place is simply a person. And something as simple as a recipe can be a link back to that home."
Does God Of War Have Any LGBTQ+ Chatacters?
You might remember a previous uproar when franchise creator David Jaffe jokingly called Kratos a "raging bisexual" after homophobes joked the Ghost of Sparta could never be gay.
It was something that Jaffe quickly backtracked on, but it didn't stop Cory Barlog flying the rainbow flag in support of the idea if it had stuck.
Barlog and Jaffe have also discussed the idea of Atreus being gay in Ragnarok and said they wouldn't have had a problem with it. Sadly, we've seen plenty of backlash for making characters gay, with Naughty Dog's The Last of Us franchise facing many complaints for its LGBTQ+ inclusion.
God of War Ragnarok is poised to be one of 2022's best games, but with its touching tribute to Snipes, it just got even better.
