Summary

  • The Game Awards 2023 has the potential for big reveals and announcements, especially for games that have been announced but not fully revealed yet.
  • Naughty Dog and other AAA developers have multiple projects in the works, making The Game Awards a highly anticipated platform for announcements.
  • While it's uncertain if Santa Monica will have anything to announce at The Game Awards, rumors suggest a possible God of War DLC or half-sequel, while other speculations revolve around Death Stranding 2 or Elden Ring being featured.

The Game Awards 2023 airs tomorrow and while there’s never meant to be any unrealistic expectations about what reveals or announcements might be made, this year’s Game Awards has a chance to be a big one considering how many games are already announced but have not been revealed fully yet. Likewise, many AAA developers have announced that they have multiple games in the works without any further details shared thus far.

Naughty Dog has stated on different occasions that it has multiple projects in the works, for instance, and therefore a reveal for any of those could be imminent with The Game Awards being the most sought-after stage for such announcements.

There is presently no real reason to assume that Santa Monica will have anything to bring to The Game Awards tomorrow, but recent rumors have suggested a God of War DLC or half-sequel could be on the way soon. It may be more reliable to presume that something from Death Stranding 2 or Elden Ring will be featured at the event, and yet God of War could already have the next installment of its franchise underway, even if it isn’t a full sequel, and it could be ready for Santa Monica to reveal it tomorrow.

God of War’s Rumored Half-Sequel is Primed for a Game Awards Reveal

God of War’s Next Full Sequel is Probably a Long Ways Away

Unlike DLCs or half-sequels, the idea behind a full sequel now is predicated on an entirely new story, assets, and locations for a franchise’s characters to rummage around in. The boon of half-sequels, then, is that the developer gets to recycle assets and locations in order to craft another story in far less time than it would take to make a full sequel.

Meanwhile, development might still be ongoing for the full sequel. There is nothing concrete about God of War having a half-sequel or any intermediary installment of the same ilk as Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, but it makes sense to have spin-off stories or interconnected side stories with Kratos and Atreus dividing and conquering in the franchise.

God of War Ragnarok only released a little over a year ago now and it would be surprising to hear Santa Monica already announcing or revealing a full sequel, despite it being inevitable at this point. Instead, a God of War half-sequel has much more plausibility given the time that’s passed since Ragnarok, if not a smaller DLC expansion for the sequel.

God of War’s Rumored Half-Sequel Might’ve Been in the Pipeline for Some Time

Because fans would have to wait nearly half a decade for the sequel to Ragnarok, Santa Monica and PlayStation might’ve deemed it necessary for development to begin early on a DLC or half-sequel to launch between these primary entries. If so, that could explain why Ragnarok’s abrupt ending seemed so anticlimactic without players getting to know precisely where Atreus would have his pilgrimage.

Similarly, because Kratos is apparently going to stick around in the Norse mythology’s nine realms, a half-sequel would already make sense to follow whatever smaller-scale adventures he embarks upon in a setting the player would be incredibly familiar with now. Atreus leading the next full sequel on his own could seem odd since he’s not the franchise’s titular mascot, and perhaps a half-sequel is in the works to remedy that by giving him a standalone experience before he appears again alongside Kratos.

That said, even if Santa Monica doesn’t show up to tomorrow’s Game Awards with anything related to God of War, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a DLC or half-sequel isn’t in the works. Indeed, what would be more surprising is if Santa Monica arrived with a new IP to announce; however, only a day’s time will tell if any of these revelations come to pass.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
God of War: Ragnarok Tag Page Cover Art
10 /10

God of War Ragnarok
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Action
Adventure
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Systems
PC-1 PlayStation-1
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Top Critic Avg: 92 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
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Released
November 9, 2022
ESRB
M For Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Developer(s)
Santa Monica Studio
Publisher(s)
Sony
Engine
Proprietary Engine
Franchise
God of War
Steam Deck Compatibility
Verified
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Embark on an epic and heartfelt journey as Kratos and Atreus struggle with holding on and letting go
From 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.

Genre(s)
Action, Adventure
How Long To Beat
26 Hours
Metascore
94
PS Plus Availability
Extra & Premium