Ragnarok ended. The prophecy played out. Kratos and Atreus walked away from the fire, and for a lot of us who sat through that final cutscene, one question hit right away. What now?
Santa Monica Studio wrapped up the Norse saga so cleanly that it almost felt like a full stop. But the ending left doors open. Small ones, sure, but open. And at Zaib Gaming Zone, the Ragnarok debate hasn't died down even months later. Players still argue about it between matches. So let's talk honestly about what might come after.
The Norse story is done, and that's okay
First thing to get straight. Ragnarok was designed as the finale of a duology. Cory Barlog said as much before launch. The 2018 reboot and Ragnarok together tell one complete story about Kratos learning to be a father while burying his rage.
So we probably won't get a God of War 3 style continuation in the Norse world. The gods are mostly dead. Asgard fell. Atreus left to find the other giants. That thread is tied off.
But does a finished story mean the franchise stops? Not even close. Kratos has jumped mythologies before. He tore through Greek gods for three main games and a handful of spin-offs. Moving to a new pantheon is basically in his DNA at this point.
The Valhalla DLC that dropped free at the end of 2023 makes this even clearer. It was a roguelite mode, yes, but it also served as an emotional epilogue. Kratos confronting his past, finally forgiving himself, and hinting he might step into a new role. A god who protects instead of destroys. If you haven't played through Valhalla properly, come try it on our PS5 setups. It reframes the whole ending.
Egyptian mythology is the fan-favorite bet
Ask any group of players where Kratos heads next and Egypt comes up almost every time. There's a good reason. Egyptian mythology has a massive, recognizable roster. Ra, Anubis, Osiris, Set, Horus. Gods with animal heads, a whole underworld system, and a pantheon rich enough to fuel an entire trilogy.
The art potential alone is enough to get people excited. Imagine Kratos walking through sun-baked temples instead of snowy Midgard forests. Golden light instead of frost. It would be a total visual shift while keeping that heavy, deliberate combat we love.
Is this confirmed? No. Not a single official word. This is fan speculation built on how the series works. So take it as a strong maybe, not a promise. Leaks and rumors have floated around for years, but Santa Monica Studio has stayed quiet.
Still, if I had to put money down, Egypt feels like the natural next chapter. It gives writers room to explore themes of death, rebirth, and legacy. And those themes fit Kratos perfectly at this stage of his life.
What about Atreus getting his own game?
Here's where it gets interesting. Ragnarok ended with Atreus, or Loki, heading off alone to track down the remaining giants. That's not a throwaway line. That's a setup.
A lot of fans, myself included, think the next full game could star Atreus instead of Kratos. Younger protagonist, lighter on his feet, maybe a stealthier or more agile combat style. It would let Santa Monica keep the God of War name while trying something fresh.
Would people accept a game without Kratos as the lead? That's the risk. Kratos is the franchise. His grumpy, guilt-ridden presence is half the reason the reboot worked. Take him out and you might lose the magic. Or you might discover a whole new angle.
My guess is they split the difference. A game where you play as both, switching between father and son, or where Atreus leads but Kratos shows up at key moments. That would satisfy both camps. But again, we can't be sure yet. This is reading tea leaves.
Could there be a smaller project first?
Big AAA games take five to six years now. Ragnarok launched in November 2022. If the next mainline God of War follows the same pace, we're looking at 2027 or later. That's a long wait.
So it wouldn't shock me if Santa Monica or a partner studio drops something smaller in between. A standalone story expansion. A remaster of the older Greek trilogy for PS5. Maybe even a multiplayer experiment, since the studio has toyed with that idea before and quietly shelved it.
Honestly, a proper remaster of God of War 1 through 3 with modern visuals would sell like crazy. Newer players who started with the 2018 reboot have never touched the Greek saga. And the Greek games, brutal as they are, hold up in story and spectacle. Would you replay them on a PS5 with sharper textures? A lot of our regulars at Zaib Gaming Zone said yes without hesitating.
The Faye question and unfinished threads
Ragnarok wrapped most things, but not everything. Faye, Kratos's late wife, was a giant with her own mysterious history. Her people, the giants of Jotunheim, are mostly gone, and Atreus is chasing whatever's left.
There's also the mural in Jotunheim that predicted events with unsettling accuracy. The story hinted that fate itself could be broken, which Kratos and Atreus proved by surviving Ragnarok. That opens a philosophical door. If prophecy can be rewritten, what happens to a hero who no longer has a script?
That uncertainty is actually rich storytelling ground. Kratos spent two games being told how his story ends. Now he doesn't know. Neither do we. And that's a genuinely exciting place for the next game to start.
What the studio has actually said
Let me be clear about the facts versus the dreams. Santa Monica Studio confirmed they're working on a new game. They put out job listings for a new IP, meaning something original and not God of War at all. That's the concrete news.
So the next thing from the studio might not even feature Kratos. It could be a brand new world entirely. Cory Barlog stepped into a supporting role after Ragnarok, and other directors are taking the lead. Fresh voices often mean fresh directions.
Does that mean God of War is on pause? Maybe for a while. Franchises need breathing room. Milking a series too fast is how you kill it. Sony seems to understand that Kratos is a long-term crown jewel, not something to rush.
My honest take on the timeline
Putting it all together, here's what I actually expect. A new original IP from Santa Monica comes first, probably before any God of War follow-up. Then, when the studio circles back to Kratos, I think we get either an Egyptian setting or an Atreus-led story, possibly both woven together.
But I want to stress this. Almost none of this is confirmed. It's educated guessing based on the ending, the DLC, industry patterns, and years of watching how Sony handles its biggest names. Plans change. Games get canceled. Directions shift. The Egypt theory has been around for ages with zero official backing.
What I'm confident about is that Kratos isn't retired. His story clearly points forward. The man who spent decades wanting to die now has a reason to live. That's too good a setup to abandon.
Why the wait might be worth it
Waiting years for a sequel is frustrating. I get it. But rushed games disappoint, and God of War has earned patience. The 2018 reboot took four years and completely reinvented the series. Ragnarok built on that and stuck the landing.
Whatever comes next, whether it's Egyptian gods or a whole new mythology, the bar is set high. Santa Monica knows it. And that pressure usually pushes them to do something bold rather than safe.
In the meantime, the two Norse games plus the Valhalla DLC are more than enough to keep you busy. If you've somehow never played the reboot or Ragnarok, or you want to revisit that ending with fresh eyes, swing by Zaib Gaming Zone here in Karachi. We've got them ready on PS5, controllers charged, and the axe throwing feels just as satisfying as ever. Come play, argue about Egypt with us, and settle the debate over who Atreus really is.
Want to play the latest games on PS5 and PS4 without buying a console? Walk in to Zaib Gaming Zone in Karachi — book a station, join a tournament, and play. Check our rates and timings at zaibgaming.com.
