If God of War proved anything in 2018, it’s that Santa Monica can live up to the hype, but Ragnarök’s silence has had somewhat of a negative impact.
God of War Ragnarök certainly has a high bar to reach once it finally launches later this year. Santa Monica Studio’s beloved revival of the long-running series in 2018 has many excited for the sequel and talking about Ragnarok‘s release date, which has become something of a broken record by now. However, leaks have begun resurfacing after a period of silence, and speculation about the exact day of release is honing in.
God of War Ragnarok is one of 2022’s most anticipated games of the year, and before being delayed, it was also one of 2021’s most anticipated games. Since the initial delay last year, there hasn’t been much information regarding how it’s developing. Sony’s State of Play showcase in June didn’t feature Ragnarok, which many believed would’ve been the perfect time to update the public on where it was at. Those following the game have had to rely on questionable leaks for information, but Cory Barlog, director of the 2018 game, recently teased God of War Ragnarok‘s playability on Twitter. After the post, discussions exploded about the game being ready to play soon and still on track to launch in 2022. Regardless, the release date still doesn’t answer the ultimate question of whether or not it’ll live up to the hype.
There’s no doubt Santa Monica Studio, being as prominent of a studio as it is, can deliver another amazing God of War experience in the upcoming Ragnarok sequel. The 2021 delay in itself proves that the developers don’t want to ruin the franchise by rushing toward release just to get the game out the door. Simultaneously, if the studio isn’t transparent about the game’s development trajectory – it could create consequences once it finally launches.
Ragnarök Will Live Up To The Hype If It Launches On Time
Santa Monica has proven in the past that it can live up to the hype, and from what’s been reveled thus far, it looks like the studio will do it again. When the God of War Ragnarok trailer was revealed at the 2021 September PlayStation showcase, it hit everything many were hoping to see in the sequel: returning and new characters, epic fighting, new areas and abilities, and a continued plot with Kratos and Atreus at the center. Ragnarok looks like a realistic upgrade from the previous game, and that can be fully realized now that the PlayStation 5 has been out for some time. God of War (2018) did receive a free 60 FPS update in February of last year, but it was still designed exclusively for the PS4’s hardware. Once Ragnarok releases, it’ll run much smoother off the bat because of the PS5, even though it’s expected to launch on Sony’s older console as well.
One element working against the hype is the silence from Santa Monica after the initial delay. Although it now seems more likely to launch in 2022, the silence brought signs that Ragnarok would get another delay, which wouldn’t work in the studio’s favor. Not having another Cyberpunk 2077-like launch is a valid reason to delay a highly anticipated game, but too many delays and lack of transparency can have a negative impact in the end. Players could lose some hope and interest if there’s not an official announcement from the Santa Monica team soon about God of War Ragnarök.
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