After bringing back memories of Kratos’ Greek heritage throughout God of War: Ragnarok’s lone and free DLC, Valhalla, Sony and Santa Monica Studio are reportedly preparing for an even more extensive return trip to the titular deity’s days when he went from one of Ares’ most trusted soldiers to the Ghost of Sparta and, eventually, the rage-fueled god-killing machine that we all have come to love.
According to Nick Baker, one of the co-founders of XboxEra, PlayStation is planning on re-releasing the original trilogy of God of War games for PlayStation 5. Baker reveals the trilogy will consist of the original game, God of War, which was released on PlayStation 2 in 2005 and its sequels, God of War 2 and God of War 3, which were released on 2007 and 2010, respectively.
Baker adds Sony might release the remastered trilogy sometime in 2024 or 2025.
Although the details remain murky, the rumor suggests these classic games could get a significant facelift for PS5. The first two games, which originally appeared on the PS2, are noted for being outdated by today’s gaming standards. A remaster would be ideal for these titles and proof exciting for fans who have yet to explore Kratos’ origin story.
Baker’s reliability in the past lends credence to this rumor, though it’s important to note that the specifics, such as the extent of the remastering and the inclusion of other titles such as God of War: Ascension or the pair of PSP spin-offs, remain unconfirmed. The leaker was unsure if the remasters would be simple upgrades or full-blown remakes akin to Bluepoint Games’ re-release of titles like Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls, among others.
The possibility of this remaster is particularly intriguing given the immense popularity of the God of War franchise. A slide leaked from Insomniac Games revealed that God of War is the most played trilogy in PlayStation’s classics catalog. This suggests a strong fan base and potential market for the remastered trilogy.
Fans have expressed a mix of excitement and disappointment, particularly regarding the omission of titles like Chains of Olympus, Ghost of Sparta, and Ascension from the rumored remaster. These games, while perhaps requiring more work for a modern update, are considered integral to the God of War saga by many enthusiasts.
The move to remaster these iconic games aligns with Sony’s recent trend of reviving classic titles for new generations. While God of War 3 is currently playable on the PS5 at 60FPS, the other titles in God of War’s Greek narrative are only available through cloud streaming on PS4 and PS5. A remaster would make these games natively playable on modern hardware, enhancing accessibility for new and returning players.
As of the time of the writing, Sony has not officially commented on these rumors, and there has been no announcement from Santa Monica Studios, the creators and caretakers of the God of War franchise. But, given its enduring popularity and the current trend of remastering classic games, the rumor of a God of War trilogy remaster for the PS5 has made a lot of fans excited at what’s to come.
Of course, at this point, most would be happy to get anything related to God of War, especially after the first-party Sony studio promised earlier that it isn’t working on a sequel or even an expansion.
If nothing else, a re-release of the original God of War trilogy would be a financially prudent decision that wouldn’t take up as much resources. If staggered with its own eventual PC port and the expected PC release of God of War: Ragnarok, Sony could easily cash in on one of its best-selling franchises for the next 3-4 years while buying Santa Monica Studio enough time to work on the next God of War game.
