Highlights
- Players can reasonably expect another God of War installment post-Ragnarok, and when it happens, it should keep one Ragnarok strength in mind.
- The next God of War game should focus on imitating Ragnarok's simplified Trophy list to enhance player experience and motivation.
- By following Ragnarok's approach to Trophies, the next God of War title can add more value to in-game activities and collectibles without being overbearing or tedious.
It's currently unclear what might be in store for the rebooted God of War series after God of War Ragnarok. Even so, its continuation has all but been officially announced, so fans can likely expect another installment to arrive sometime in the next few years. If there is another God of War game in development after God of War Ragnarok, it could potentially arrive around 2026, as there were four years between the first game (2018) and the second (2022). However, the biggest question is what direction the narrative could go in and whether it might be an Atreus-led spin-off or another mainline title. In any case, it will be nice to experience a new God of War story if another game is indeed in development.
While God of War (2018) certainly redefined the franchise and arguably set a new standard for storytelling in the video game industry, God of War Ragnarok continued that trend by offering yet another compelling narrative, to the point that it only just lost to Elden Ring in the race for the 2022 Game of the Year award. With two great games behind it, the next God of War title has a lot to live up to. That being said, there is one feature of God of War Ragnarok that the next game should imitate perfectly, and that's its Trophy list. Ragnarok's lineup of achievements shines because it does not to distract players from the story by giving them too many meaningless tasks to accomplish, which future games in the series should keep in mind.
A God of War Atreus Game Can't Make the Same NPC Mistake as Ragnarok
If Atreus eventually gets his own standalone series in God of War, the spin-off should avoid one of Ragnarok's biggest issues.
The Next God of War's Trophies Should Follow in Ragnarok's Footsteps
God of War Ragnarok's Trophies Are Obtainable Simply By Playing the Game
Trophies and Achievements in games have evolved significantly over time, going from tasking players with fulfilling some of the most spontaneous and excessively challenging objectives to easing up a bit and offering less demanding goals for them to achieve. Still, not every game's Trophies and Achievements are created equal, as many require players to go far out of their way to pull them off, while others are much less unrealistic in their approach. God of War Ragnarok is one of those games that has what could be considered a perfect Trophy list, since all it really does is require players to play the game.
Not all of God of War Ragnarok's Trophies are necessarily easy to acquire, like “The True Queen,” which requires players to battle and defeat Gna, one of the game's most challenging foes. However, none of Ragnarok's Trophies call for players to complete nonsensical tasks like Command and Conquer 3's “Garth” Achievement, which challenges players with pressing the A button 2,047 times in a single mission. Instead, God of War Ragnarok's Trophies simply see players completing everything the game has to offer, including its optional content. There are some added benefits to this approach, so the next God of War would do well to replicate it.
The Next God of War's Trophy List Imitating Ragnarok's Could Help It Succeed
While not every player concerns themselves with obtaining Trophies in a PlayStation game, it is nonetheless fulfilling when notifications pop up on the screen informing players that they've collected one. Some players even view Trophies as extra content, thereby extending their game’s lifespan. Aside from these sentiments, Trophies can have another positive effect as well that could ultimately benefit the next God of War game in the long run.
The general idea of God of War Ragnarok's Trophies is simple: complete everything in the game. This serves as extra motivation for players to 100% the game, as they not only obtain whatever in-game rewards are offered for doing so, but they also get the Trophy associated with each activity. If the next God of War title were to imitate this approach, it would add even more value to its presumably extensive list of activities and collectibles, all while taking unnecessary pressure off completionists to fulfill bizarre objectives.
God of War: Ragnarok
God of War Ragnarok is an action-adventure game developed by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It serves as the sequel to God of War (2018) and the conclusion to Kratos and Atreus' journey through Scandinavia. Loosely based on Norse mythology, players will fight mythological creatures while witnessing the events of Ragnarok.
