God Of War Ragnarok Makes Divisive Change To Kratos And Atreus

Although beefy Thor is trying to steal the limelight, it's still very much the Kratos and Atreus show in God of War Ragnarok. We're in the endgame now, and as we get ready for the Ghost of Sparta to wield the Blade of Chaos (possibly for the last time), God of War Ragnarok is rounding off the Norse saga.

As the follow-up to 2018's God of War, we're expecting another father-and-son adventure with Kratos and Atreus, but according to the first reviews, there's something different about the bearded brute and his naive son. This is Kratos and Atreus, but not as you know them.

How Are Kratos And Atreus Different In God Of War Ragnarok?

Even though embargoes mean we can't dive too deep into the story of Ragnarok, small details are allowed to be shared. For example, it's no secret that the fantasy epic opens with a more mature version of Atreus. Sadly, as the times have changed, Kratos no longer uses his signature catchphrase of "boy."

Back in 2018's God of War, the gruff father's scolding became a soundbite for the ages, as the word "boy" rang out across the Nine Realms. The term became so synonymous with Kratos and Atreus' relationship, Christopher Judge even referred to Atreus voice actor Sunny Suljic as "boy" in a standout moment of the 2018 Game Awards. 

Speaking to GamesRadar, Game Director Eric Williams explained why Kratos won't be calling Atreus "boy." Expanding on how a more mature Atreus has stepped up to the plate, Williams said, "It's that idea that we really wanted it to be this feeling of like 'oh, I can find a way into this story, whether I'm a parent or a child, or I'm somewhere in between, or I remember both sides of it'. There's a way in for everyone."

Will Kratos Die In God Of War Ragnarok?

Of course, an older Atreus means the stakes will be higher than ever before. Williams added, "The last game you had Atreus just always being told what to do by adults. Anybody asks a question and they never give him an answer. But we wanted to be a lot more grey. Now we're getting into Atreus being like, 'Well, I don't think it's like that'. And (Kratos and Mimir) are like, 'Oh, are you being sassy? Or should we actually have a real conversation about this?'"

Ragnarok is the end of days in Norse Mythology, so there are obvious expectations there will be similarly catastrophic events here. After such a long run, it would make sense to kill Kratos in this snowy swansong. Still, we doubt it's the end of the road for the God of War name. Whether it's time travel back to Ancient Greece or Atreus taking the charge as the "new" God of War following Kratos' passing, Sony was never going to let one of its biggest IPs fall into limbo along with the likes of Jak and Daxter.