God of War Explained: The Complete Saga of Kratos, from 2005 to Ragnarök

Few video game characters have changed as much as Kratos. He started out in 2005 as a furious, ash-white Spartan tearing his way through the gods of Olympus. Seventeen years later he’s a weary father in the snowy forests of Norse myth, trying to teach his son to be better than he was. That journey from vengeance to redemption is why God of War is one of PlayStation’s most beloved franchises.

This guide covers the whole series: the Greek era, the reboot that reinvented it, Ragnarök, and what’s coming next, plus tips on where newcomers should start.

The Basics: What Is God of War?

God of War is an action-adventure series created by David Jaffe and developed by Sony’s Santa Monica Studio. It began on the PlayStation 2 in 2005 and has grown into ten installments across multiple platforms. Santa Monica Studio made the six main entries, while studios like Ready at Dawn developed side games.

The series is split into two big eras:

• The Greek era, where Kratos goes on a path of vengeance against the Olympian gods.
• The Norse era, where Kratos goes on a path of redemption alongside his son Atreus.

It’s also a huge commercial success. As of November 2023, the franchise had sold an estimated 66 million+ games worldwide, and it is described as PlayStation’s most profitable first-party brand.

The Greek Era (2005–2013)

God of War (2005)

The original God of War came out in North America on March 22, 2005 for the PS2. Kratos, a Spartan who has served the Olympian gods for ten years, is sent by Athena to find Pandora’s Box, the only thing that can defeat Ares, the God of War, who is rampaging through Athens. Flashbacks reveal Kratos’s dark history: Ares once saved him in battle, then tricked him into killing his own wife and daughter. That act turned him into the “Ghost of Sparta.” By the end, Kratos kills Ares and takes his place as the new God of War.

It was universally acclaimed for its graphics, sound, story and combat, with Kratos’s chained Blades of Chaos and huge set pieces. It won over a dozen Game of the Year awards and had sold over 4.6 million units by June 2012.

God of War II (2007)

Released March 13, 2007, God of War II came out on PS2 even though the PS3 had launched a few months earlier. Jaffe and Cory Barlog (who took over as director when Jaffe moved to creative director) explained that about 100 million people could play it on PS2 the day it launched. In the story, Zeus betrays Kratos, who teams up with the Titans and seeks out the Sisters of Fate to change his destiny. A late twist reveals that Kratos is Zeus’s son. It sold 4.24 million units by June 2012.

God of War III (2010)

The trilogy’s finale arrived on PS3 on March 16, 2010, and was the first mainline game made without Jaffe. Kratos fights his way through the Underworld and Mount Olympus in a war against the gods and Titans that ends with the death of Zeus and the destruction of Olympus. It sold over 5 million copies by June 2012, and God of War III Remastered (PS4, 2015) added an estimated 4 million more as of June 2023.

The Side Stories and Prequels

• Betrayal (2007): a 2D side-scroller for Java mobile phones.
• Chains of Olympus (2008, PSP): a prequel by Ready at Dawn that won Hand-Held Game of the Year at the Interactive Achievement Awards.
• Ghost of Sparta (2010, PSP): Kratos searches for his mother and his lost brother Deimos.
• Ascension (2013, PS3): a prequel, and the first game in the series with online multiplayer.
• Sons of Sparta (February 12, 2026, PS5): a 2D Metroidvania about a 13-year-old Kratos training in Sparta with his brother Deimos, narrated by an adult Kratos to his daughter Calliope.

The Norse Reboot: God of War (2018)

After Ascension, the series went quiet for five years. Then at E3 2016, Sony revealed a very different God of War, with Cory Barlog back as director. It launched on PS4 on April 20, 2018.

Many years after God of War III, Kratos is living in ancient Norway with his young son Atreus. After the death of his second wife, Faye, the two set out to scatter her ashes from the highest peak in the nine realms. Along the way they’re hunted by the Æsir god Baldur, joined by the talking head of Mímir, and they learn the truth about Faye: she was a Giant who foresaw the future, and Atreus’s original name was Loki.

Everything changed. Kratos, now voiced by Christopher Judge, swapped his Blades of Chaos for the Leviathan Axe, and the camera moved behind his shoulder. Most strikingly, the game is presented as one continuous shot, with no camera cuts or loading screens. Barlog said that about 40 percent of the team didn’t originally agree with that decision because of the extra work involved.

The gamble paid off. God of War (2018) won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2018, sold more than 5 million copies in its first month and 23 million by November 2022, and is the best-selling game in the series. A PC version followed on January 14, 2022, the first main installment released on a non-PlayStation platform.

God of War Ragnarök (2022)

God of War Ragnarök launched on November 9, 2022 for both PS4 and PS5, the first cross-generation release in the series, with a PC version on September 19, 2024. Eric Williams, who had worked on every previous installment, directed it, continuing the tradition of a different director for each game, with Barlog as creative director and producer.

As the three-year Fimbulwinter ends, Kratos, Atreus and Mímir face Odin and the thunder god Thor. They travel across the nine realms trying to prevent Ragnarök, the prophesied end of the world, and along the way finally make peace with a vengeful Freya. Bear McCreary returned to compose the score.

Ragnarök sold 5.1 million units in its first week, then the fastest-selling first-party launch week in PlayStation history, and over 15 million by November 2023. On December 15, 2023, Santa Monica released Valhalla, a free epilogue expansion that introduced roguelite gameplay. Its soundtrack brings back Gerard Marino’s themes from the Greek games.

What’s Next for God of War?

• Laufey: a third Norse-era game in development for PS5, set for 2027. It stars Faye (Laufey) and follows her journey in the afterlife, running alongside the events of the 2018 game and Ragnarök, and it will introduce gods from Egyptian and Mongolian mythology.
• Another Kratos game: Barlog has confirmed that a further game will bring Kratos back as the main character, connecting directly to Laufey.
• A remake of the original trilogy is in development.
• A TV series for Amazon Prime Video based on the Norse era, with Ronald D. Moore as writer and showrunner. It officially entered production on February 27, 2026. Ryan Hurst (who voiced Thor in Ragnarök) was initially cast as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus, but Hurst was injured during filming, so the role had to be recast.

Where Should Beginners Start?

Start with God of War (2018). It was designed as a fresh beginning, and it explains what you need to know about Kratos’s past. Then play Ragnarök and the free Valhalla DLC. If you love it, go back to the Greek trilogy to see the angry young god Kratos once was. Knowing where he came from makes his growth in the Norse games hit even harder.

Final Thoughts

God of War is a rare series that reinvented itself without losing its identity. The Greek games are pure spectacle and rage; the Norse games are about grief, parenthood and change. Together they tell the story of one of gaming’s most memorable characters.

Team Greek or Team Norse? Share your favorite God of War moment in the comments!