Summary
It was free, unexpected, and essentially shadow-dropped, but theValhallaDLC forGod of War Ragnarokturned out to be one of the best expansions for a PlayStation game in recent memory.Valhallathoughtfully underscores Kratos' emotional journey, driving home the main themes of the base game while packaging itself in a well-designed and addictive rogue-like format. As great and conclusive asValhallais, it might not beGod of War Ragnarok’s last expansion.
Neither Santa Monica Studios nor Sony have released any official statements about a subsequentRagnarokDLC, but it’s certainly not off the table. Orion Walker, a writer for Santa Monica Studios, suggested that there could beanotherGod of War Ragnarokexpansion, tweeting back in December that the credits ofValhalladon’t signal the end of the story. While Walker’s vague and jocular tweet could simply be referencing the expansion’s deep replay value, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for Santa Monica to drop another expansion to wrap upRagnarokand tide players over until the next full entry. But while it might be a sensible decision in some ways, it could also be a misfire.
GivenValhalla’s success, it’s not unreasonable to assume that many players would pay full price for another expansion, so such a DLC may be seen as financially viable for Sony.
The Pros and Cons of Another DLC for God of War Ragnarok
There Are More Stories to Tell In the Norse Realms
Kratos is alive and well at the end ofValhalla, deciding to accept his past mistakes and push forward as a better, more hopeful god. The ending of the DLC heavily implies that he will accept Freya’s offer to effectively replace Tyr as the Norse God of War, which would mean that his work is just beginning; he may have been able to put his violent past behind him, but if he is going to step up as a leader in such war-ravaged realms, then there’s much that needs to be done.
Valhallahints at several ongoing conflicts and residual effects of Ragnarok, with Sigrun detailing the somewhat tenuous status of the realms after the events of the base game. There are a number ofquestions aboutGod of War’s Norse worldthat remain unanswered in the expansion, and while these might be answered in a sequel, they may be better addressed in a DLC, as the conflicts in question don’t seem to be too earth-shattering or worthy of a flagship story.
God of War Can’t Bleed Ragnarok’s Story Dry
On the other hand, it might be best for the series to stay dormant until it’s ready for its next big step.Ragnarokalready feels like more of a ‘chapter 2’ to 2018’sGod of War—a game that made waves for its bold and fundamental changes to the series' formula and format. Another significantshakeup may be just whatGod of Warneedsto not only remain relevant and exciting, but to separate itself from the two-game Norse saga and tee up the next chapter of the franchise. It’s not out of the question for this leap to come in the form of DLC, but the truncated, restrictive nature of post-launch expansions makes this seem a bit less likely.
While the two-part story presented inGod of WarandGod of War Ragnarokhas been great, it could see diminishing returns if it’s stretched beyondValhalla.Ragnarokleaves many loose endsthat need to be tied up, but these story elements might not have enough weight or complexity to carry yet another DLC. Either that, or they will be inflated beyond the scope of an expansion, making them a better fit for a full-fledged sequel.
God of War Ragnarok
WHERE TO PLAY
Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting goFrom Santa Monica Studio comes the sequel to the critically acclaimed God of War (2018). Fimbulwinter is well underway. Kratos and Atreus must journey to each of the Nine Realms in search of answers as Asgardian forces prepare for a prophesied battle that will end the world. Along the way they will explore stunning, mythical landscapes, and face fearsome enemies in the form of Norse gods and monsters. The threat of Ragnarök grows ever closer. Kratos and Atreus must choose between their own safety and the safety of the realms.
