God of War is a 2018 action-adventure game created by Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was released worldwide for the PlayStation 4 in April 2018 and later for Windows in January 2022. This game is the eighth in the God of War series and the ninth in order of events. It follows the 2010 game, God of War III.
This game is different from earlier ones, which were based on Greek mythology. Instead, this game uses Norse mythology and takes place in ancient Scandinavia, a land called Midgard. For the first time, the game has two main characters: Kratos, a former Greek god who is the only player-controlled character, and his son, Atreus. After the death of Kratos’s wife and Atreus’s mother, Faye, the two travel together to complete her final wish: to scatter her ashes from the highest peak of the nine realms. Kratos hides his past from Atreus, who does not know he is divine. During their journey, they face challenges from monsters and gods of the Norse world.
Creative director Cory Barlog described the game as a new version of the series. One major change is that Kratos uses a magical battle axe called the Leviathan Axe instead of his usual weapons, the Blades of Chaos. The game uses a free camera that moves with the player, unlike the fixed camera in earlier games. It also includes role-playing elements, and Atreus helps Kratos in battles. Most of the original development team worked on this game, aiming to make it easy to play and realistic. A short text-based game called A Call from the Wilds was released in February 2018 through Facebook Messenger, telling Atreus’s first adventure. Three days before the main game’s release, a smartphone app called Mímir’s Vision was introduced, offering details about the game’s Norse setting.
Critics praised the game for its story, world design, art, music, graphics, combat, and characters, especially the relationship between Kratos and Atreus. Many said it brought new life to the series while keeping its original spirit. It was named Game of the Year by many outlets and is considered one of the greatest video games ever made. The game sold over 5 million copies in its first month and 23 million by November 2022, making it one of the best-selling PlayStation 4 games and the top-selling game in the series. A novelization was released in August 2018, followed by a prequel comic series from November 2018 to June 2021. A live-action TV show is being made for Amazon Prime Video. A sequel, God of War Ragnarök, was released for PlayStation 4 and 5 in November 2022 and for Windows in 2024.
Gameplay
God of War is a third-person action-adventure video game. It uses a free camera that moves from the player’s perspective, unlike earlier games that used a fixed camera (except for the 2007 side-scroller Betrayal). The game shows continuous action without cutting scenes or loading screens. Unlike the 2013 game Ascension, which had multiplayer, this version is only for one player. The game world is open but not fully open, meaning players can’t explore freely everywhere at once. A fast travel feature becomes available later in the game. Swimming, an ability from earlier games, was removed. Instead, players use a boat to move across water. Jumping is now limited to specific spots, such as rocks or ledges. Players battle enemies from Norse mythology, including dark elves, wulvers, draugrs, Gullveig, and revenants. Valkyries appear as secret boss battles in six locations. Side quests include freeing imprisoned dragons—Fáfnir, Otr, and Reginn—and battling Hræzlyr, a story-based boss.
Players control Kratos, using combo-based combat and puzzle elements. The gameplay is completely different from earlier games, as it was rebuilt. Kratos no longer uses his signature Blades of Chaos as his default weapon. Instead, he wields a magical battle axe called the Leviathan Axe, infused with ice magic. The axe can be thrown at enemies and returned to Kratos’s hand, like Thor’s hammer Mjölnir. Larger enemies have special targets that stun them if hit. The axe can also be used to freeze objects, move mechanisms, or trigger explosions. It has light and heavy attacks and can be upgraded with runes for magical attacks. A new weapon, the collapsible Guardian Shield, appears as a vambrace on Kratos’s arm. It can be used offensively or defensively, like the Golden Fleece from earlier games. Kratos also uses hand-to-hand combat, introduced in Ascension. The Blades of Chaos, infused with fire magic, are acquired later and function similarly to earlier versions.
The game includes a "Rage" ability called Spartan Rage. A meter fills during combat, allowing Kratos to perform powerful bare-handed attacks. RPG elements are present, such as crafting resources for armor upgrades, a currency called Hacksilver, and experience points for new skills. Chests contain random items, including enchantments and Hacksilver. Two special items—Iðunn’s Apples and horns of Blood Mead—increase Kratos’s health and Rage, respectively. These meters are refilled by orbs dropped by defeated enemies. For runic attacks, a cooldown timer replaces the blue orbs used in earlier games.
Quick time events have changed. Enemies display two meters: one for health (showing difficulty) and one for stun. Filling the stun meter allows players to defeat tougher enemies. When full, a prompt appears for Kratos to grab or throw enemies. At times, players can control Kratos’s son, Atreus, passively. Pressing a button lets Atreus shoot arrows at enemies or assist in combat, traversal, and puzzles. Atreus gains new skills, armor, and runic attacks. His runic attacks summon spectral animals, such as wolves or the squirrel Ratatoskr, which can find health or Rage orbs.
Synopsis
The first seven games in the series were based on Greek mythology, but this game is inspired by Norse mythology. It takes place at least 150 years after God of War III (2010). Players can explore six of the nine realms from Norse mythology. Most of the game happens in ancient Scandinavia, in the realm of Midgard, which is home to humans and other creatures. Midgard is where the Greek world also exists. As dangerous creatures appear, many humans leave Midgard. Other realms in the story include Alfheim, the home of light and dark elves; Helheim, the icy land of the dead; and Jötunheim, the mountainous land of the Giants. Optional areas to explore are Niflheim, a foggy realm with maze-like rewards, and Muspelheim, a fiery realm with six trials that help Kratos and Atreus climb a volcano to face Göndul, one of the nine Valkyries. Odin, the ruler of Asgard and the Æsir gods, has blocked access to three other realms: Asgard, home of the Æsir gods; Vanaheim, home of the Vanir gods; and Svartalfheim, home of the dwarves. All nine realms are connected by Yggdrasil, a mythical tree. Though each realm is a separate world, they exist in the same space. Travel between realms is done using the Bifröst, a bridge from a root of Yggdrasil located in Týr’s Temple at the center of the Lake of the Nine. The temple was built by Týr, a peaceful god who studied other mythologies. Odin had Týr killed because he believed Týr was helping the Giants.
The main characters are Kratos (voiced by Christopher Judge) and his son Atreus (voiced by Sunny Suljic). Kratos is a warrior from Sparta who became the Greek God of War and is the son of Zeus. After his war against Olympus, he moved to ancient Scandinavia, where he married Laufey (called Faye), who died before the game begins. She had a son, Atreus, who does not know about Kratos’s past but can hear thoughts of others. The main enemy is Baldur (voiced by Jeremy Davies), the half-brother of Thor. Baldur’s parents are Odin, the Allfather and ruler of the Æsir, and Freya (voiced by Danielle Bisutti), a Vanir goddess. Freya tried to leave Odin after he corrupted her magic, but Odin stripped her of her Valkyrie wings, banished her to Midgard, and cast a spell to prevent her from harming others or leaving the realm. She hid her identity as the Witch of the Woods. To protect Baldur from a prophecy that said he would die, Freya gave him immortality, which also made him unable to feel pain or pleasure. This caused Baldur to resent his mother. The only thing that can hurt Baldur is mistletoe, a secret Freya kept.
Other characters include Mímir (voiced by Alastair Duncan), who claims to be the smartest man, and the Huldra Brothers—Brok (voiced by Robert Craighead) and Sindri (voiced by Adam J. Harrington), dwarves who forge weapons for Kratos and Atreus. These weapons include Thor’s hammer Mjölnir and Kratos’s Leviathan Axe, which originally belonged to Faye. Faye also gave Kratos her Guardian Shield. The spirit of the Greek goddess Athena (voiced by Carole Ruggier) appears briefly, and Zeus (voiced by Corey Burton) appears as an illusion in Helheim.
Years after defeating the Olympian gods, Kratos lived with Faye and Atreus in Midgard. After Faye’s death, Kratos cremated her body and fought a stranger with godly powers, whom he killed. Kratos and Atreus then began a journey to honor Faye’s wish: to scatter her ashes at the highest peak in the nine realms. They met the dwarves Brok and Sindri, the Witch of the Woods, and the World Serpent Jörmungandr. When a black mist blocked their path, the Witch told them to get magical light from Alfheim to clear the mist. After succeeding, they reached Midgard’s peak and overheard Baldur and his nephews, Modi and Magni, talking with Mímir. Mímir revealed the highest peak is in Jötunheim, but the Giants have blocked access.
Mímir told Kratos to behead him so the Witch of the Woods could revive him. After being revived, Mímir revealed the Witch was actually Freya. Kratos, who hates gods, distrusted her, but both warned him to tell Atreus about his divine nature. Kratos, Atreus, and Mímir were attacked by Modi and Magni. After killing Magni, Modi fled but later ambushed them. Kratos fought him, but Atreus collapsed from an illness caused by the contradiction of a god pretending to be mortal. Freya told Kratos to get a troll’s heart from Helheim, but Kratos’s Leviathan Axe was useless in the cold. He returned home to retrieve his old fiery weapons, the Blades of Chaos, and was haunted by Athena’s spirit. After getting the heart, Freya revived Atreus, and Kratos told him they were gods. Atreus became arrogant and killed Modi, who had been beaten by Thor. At Midgard’s peak, Baldur attacked Kratos and Atreus, destroying the portal to Jötunheim. Their battle moved to Týr’s Temple, and they ended up in Helheim.
After being reprimanded, Atreus made amends with Kratos. They learned about Freya and Baldur’s relationship and the spell that made Baldur invulnerable. Returning to Midgard, Mímir found another way to reach Jötunheim but needed his missing eye. After getting it, the group was attacked by Baldur again, but Freya protected him. Baldur was pierced by Atreus’s mistletoe arrow, breaking Freya’s spell. Kratos spared Baldur but killed him when he tried to harm Freya. A grieving Freya vowed revenge and left with Baldur’s body, taunting Kratos about a past he had not yet told Atreus. Kratos told Atreus about his past, including killing his father. Atreus felt sorry for the cycle of violence and agreed not to repeat mistakes.
Kratos and Atreus reached Jötunheim, finding an abandoned temple with a mural showing their journey. They learned Faye was a Giant who had stayed in Midgard, making Atreus half Giant, one-quarter god, and one-quarter mortal. They saw a depiction of their fight with Baldur, revealing Baldur had been searching for Faye under Odin’s orders, unaware she was dead and Atreus was called Loki by his mother and the Giants. Kratos ignored a mural showing him dying in Atreus’s arms. They fulfilled their promise by scattering Faye’s ashes at the peak. Kratos told Atreus his name was given by a compassionate Spartan friend. They returned home.
Development
Development of the next God of War game began in 2014. This was announced by Cory Barlog, the creative director at Santa Monica Studio, during the first PlayStation Experience event on December 6, 2014. Barlog stated the game was in very early development and would not be a prequel but might be a reboot. In April 2016, concept art was shared without permission, showing Kratos in the world of Norse mythology. This idea was first considered by series creator David Jaffe after Kratos defeated the Greek gods. The game was officially announced at the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) with a gameplay demo. The demo showed a bearded Kratos teaching his son to hunt and fighting a troll. It also displayed the title God of War and confirmed the game was being made for the PlayStation 4 (PS4). At the E3 event, it was also announced that Barlog had returned as the game director for this new installment. Since the 2005 original game, Barlog had been a key contributor to the series, including directing God of War II (2007). This new game was his fifth God of War project.
Barlog explained the game was titled God of War without a numeral or subtitle because, although it continued the series, the team "reimagined everything." Shannon Studstill, head of Santa Monica Studio, and Barlog said Sony Interactive Entertainment needed convincing to make another God of War game. Many at Sony wanted the series to "sleep and rest" due to the poor reception of the previous game, Ascension. Studstill said Barlog was brought back because he understood the series’ history, "and bringing in someone that understands that history is the respect the franchise deserves." Barlog added, "You gotta know the rules to break the rules." Series creator David Jaffe was also considered but could not participate.
Barlog explained the shift from Greek to Norse mythology as a "BC–AD change over kind of thing," starting fresh and moving forward. The team studied the Prose Edda to learn how Norse myths were translated and adapted. They used similar methods as with Greek mythology to align the myths with their story. Egyptian mythology was also considered, but Barlog chose Norse because it allowed the game to focus on Kratos. He said, "Having too much around distracts from that central theme of a stranger in a strange land." Barlog explained Kratos traveled from Greece to Norway (Scandinavia) after the events of God of War III. He clarified that Kratos did not destroy the entire world but only the part ruled by Greek gods. The new game takes place before the Vikings existed, during the time when their gods walked the Earth.
Most of the original God of War development team worked on the new game. The team said the gameplay was as accessible as previous games. It was confirmed the game would not include a morality system or branching story, meaning all players experience the same story. Some controversial minigames from earlier games, like those involving sex, were not included. The number of enemies on-screen increased to up to 100, though this limit was rarely reached. Features like jumping, swimming, and instant-death platforming challenges were removed due to the camera being closer to Kratos. Although Ascension introduced multiplayer, the team chose to focus on single-player. Studstill said, "I felt like, in order to reinvent, we really needed to turn a lot of things around." Barlog explained the camera was made closer to Kratos for a more intimate and player-controlled experience.
The entire game is played in one continuous shot with no camera cuts, no loading screens, and no fades to black between gameplay and cutscenes. Barlog said about 40% of the team initially disagreed with this decision because it required more work and was untested for a 3D AAA game. After completing the game, the team understood Barlog’s vision and agreed it was a valuable feature. Barlog first proposed the one-shot camera idea while working on Tomb Raider (2013) but was rejected. Sony supported the idea. Barlog and lead level designer Rob Davis were also influenced by Resident Evil 4 (2005) and Resident Evil 7 (2017), which combined exploration and bold storytelling. Barlog eventually convinced the team to use a close camera despite initial disagreements.
Lead gameplay designer Jason McDonald, who worked on the series since the original game, said the axe was chosen to make the game more grounded. The idea of throwing the axe and having it return to Kratos helped shape the game’s design. McDonald said combat with the axe was slower than with the Blades of Chaos but "just as fluid and just as brutal as it's ever been." Barlog took inspiration from Dark Souls (2011), which influenced the game’s combat system and storytelling. Designers Anthony DiMento and Luis Sanchez said the level design and exploration were inspired by Bloodborne (2015). They aimed to "have the world breathe a little bit" by adding micro-loops that let players unlock paths and shortcuts. A dedicated team created side quests without relying on non-playable characters outside the main story. DiMento said the team designed "wayward spirits" (ghosts tied to the world) to make the world feel more alive. The side quests were divided into four tiers: top-tier quests from Brok and Sindri, next from wayward spirits, followed by treasure maps and artifacts, and finally milestones like k.
Release
The game was released worldwide on April 20, 2018, for the PlayStation 4. Along with the standard version, there were three special editions: the Stone Mason Edition, the Collector's Edition, and the Digital Deluxe Edition. The Stone Mason Edition was only available in the United States and Canada. It included the base game in a SteelBook case, a 9-inch statue of Kratos and Atreus made by Gentle Giant, 2-inch carvings of the Huldra Brothers, a horse, and a troll, an exclusive lithograph, a cloth map, a stonemason’s ring, and a keychain of Mímir’s head that talks. There were many downloadable content (DLC) items, such as an exclusive shield skin, an armor set, another shield skin for Kratos, a PlayStation 4 dynamic theme, a digital artbook, and a comic titled God of War #0 by Dark Horse Comics.
The Collector's Edition included many of the same items but without the ring, keychain, carvings of the horse and troll, and the exclusive shield skin. The Digital Deluxe Edition included all the digital content but not the exclusive shield skin. U.S. and Canadian customers who pre-ordered the Digital Deluxe Edition received a pin of Kratos and Atreus. Pre-orders at select stores included three shield skins for Kratos. Pre-orders from GameStop or EB Games also gave players a "Luck of Ages XP Talisman," which increased experience points, Hacksilver gains, and the chance to unlock perks.
A Limited Edition PlayStation 4 Pro bundle was released on the same day as the game. It included the standard game, a PlayStation 4 Pro console with runes from Kratos’s axe, and a DualShock 4 controller with the God of War logo. An official tabletop card game titled God of War: The Card Game was released by CMON Limited on October 25, 2019. Designed by Alexandru Olteanu and Fel Barros, the game lets players take on the role of the Norns, the Fates from Norse mythology, as they work to stop Ragnarök using characters and events from the game.
Before the game launched, Barlog said there would be no microtransactions, a feature that had been used in other games and often criticized. He also said there would be no post-release DLC, like an expansion pack, because his idea for DLC was too large. He compared it to The Last of Us: Left Behind and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which were big standalone expansions for other games.
After the game launched, Santa Monica Studio fixed software bugs and added new features through free updates. A Photo Mode was added in patch 1.20 on May 9, 2018, letting players take customized screenshots. Players could change the camera angle, filters, borders, and even the facial expressions of Kratos and Atreus. A New Game Plus mode was added in patch 1.30 on August 20, 2018. To use it, players had to finish the game at any difficulty level. In this mode, enemies were stronger, and players could use all items they had collected. New resources were also added to upgrade gear.
In November 2020, the PlayStation 5 (PS5) launched and could play PlayStation 4 games. On February 2, 2021, Santa Monica released an update for God of War on the PS5, allowing it to run at 60 fps with 4K resolution.
In October 2021, Santa Monica Studio announced that God of War would be released for Windows on January 14, 2022. The port, handled by Jetpack Interactive, included support for features like Nvidia’s DLSS technology and ultra-widescreen displays. This was the first main game in the series to be released on a platform other than PlayStation.
God of War: A Call from the Wilds was a text-based game playable through Facebook Messenger. It was released on February 1, 2018, to promote the game. Completing the game unlocked downloadable concept art. The story followed Atreus on his first adventure in the Norse wilds. After training with his mother, Atreus heard a dying deer’s voice and found it in the forest. He was injured by draugr but saved by Kratos, who later helped him fight a revenant.
God of War: Mímir’s Vision was a smartphone app released on April 17, 2018, for Apple and Android devices. It used augmented reality to show the Norse world from the game.
Raising Kratos is a YouTube documentary about Santa Monica Studio’s five-year process in making the game. It was released on May 10, 2019, one year after the game launched.
The Art of God of War is a book collecting artwork from the game’s development. It was written by Evan Shamoon and published by Dark Horse Comics on April 24, 2018.
An official novelization of the game, written by Cory Barlog’s father, James M. Barlog, was released on August 28, 2018, by Titan Books. An audiobook version, narrated by Alastair Duncan (who voiced Mímir in the game), is also available. The novel follows the game’s events closely but adds details not shown in the game. It explains that Kratos left ancient Greece to hide his identity and change who he was. After leaving Greece, he was saved by a cloaked woman, possibly Faye. Later, Kratos, Atreus, and Mímir saw a mural of wolves Sköll and Hati, which reminded Kratos of a battle. The novel also says Kratos had the Blades of Chaos after killing Zeus, not the Blades of Exile as previously shown. It mentions that Kratos tried to get rid of the blades but they always returned to him. He hid them under his house 50 years before the game’s story began.
Reception
The game God of War received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to the review website Metacritic. It tied with the original God of War for the highest score in the franchise. It has the fourth-highest score of all time for a PlayStation 4 game and the highest score for an original, non-remastered PlayStation 4 exclusive. It was the highest-rated PlayStation 4 game of 2018 until Red Dead Redemption 2 was released in October, which moved God of War to second place. It also tied with the Xbox One version of Celeste for the second-highest score of 2018, regardless of platform. Critics praised the game’s art, graphics, combat, music, story, use of Norse mythology, characters, and cinematic style. Many reviewers said the game revived the series while keeping its original identity.
The story was highly praised. Nick Plessas of Electronic Gaming Monthly said the most memorable moments were the interactions between Kratos and Atreus. He noted that Kratos’s strictness and Atreus’s friendly curiosity created moments of humor. He said Atreus showed a new side of Kratos and that Kratos had grown emotionally, balancing his past anger with his desire to protect his son. Plessas said Atreus was a complex character who avoided common stereotypes of child characters. Joe Juba of Game Informer praised the story, especially the relationship between Kratos and Atreus. He said their interactions ranged from tense to caring and helped players connect with the game. He said Kratos had more depth than in previous games. Peter Brown of GameSpot said Kratos and Atreus were enjoyable, but Mímir was a standout character. He said the cast was "strong, convincing, and oddly enchanting." Jason Faulkner of Game Revolution said the game was easy for new players to understand but still included references for returning fans. He compared the bond between Kratos and Atreus to the relationships in The Last of Us and The Walking Dead.
The combat system was praised for being different from earlier games. Plessas said players focused more on individual moves rather than long combo sequences. He said the axe had benefits and drawbacks that players needed to learn. He called the axe "mechanically fascinating" and said it was versatile for fighting and solving puzzles. Juba said the Leviathan Axe was a balanced and fun weapon that encouraged careful, strategic combat. He said the combat system unfolded gradually, allowing players to use different weapons and skills. Some reviewers liked the ability to call the axe back to Kratos, but Chris Carter of Destructoid said it became less enjoyable over time. Plessas said Atreus was "surprisingly useful" and balanced between independence and help. Faulkner said the teamwork between Kratos and Atreus made the combat system impressive. Leon Hurley of GamesRadar+ said the combat was as intense as previous games.
Chris Plante of Polygon praised the camera work, saying it made the game feel like a movie. Juba said the close camera angle made big moments more personal. Faulkner said the camera could be hard to control during fights. Jonathon Dornbush of IGN said the camera made emotions feel more real. Faulkner said the game looked amazing, especially with 4K and HDR technology. Peter Brown said God of War was a technical and artistic achievement, one of the best-looking console games ever. Dan Ryckert of Giant Bomb said the game’s visuals were a strong reason to own a PS4 Pro and 4K TV.
Some critics said the boss fights were not as frequent as in earlier games, but they were still strong. Faulkner said the game let players explore as much or as little as they wanted. He said the game kept players focused during main story parts but allowed exploration in between. Plessas said the puzzles were challenging but not overly difficult. Juba said the puzzles were fun and not too hard.
Plessas said the game’s RPG elements made it unique. He said players could customize Kratos for different tasks or playstyles. He said this made the game more manageable, even if it wasn’t easier. Juba said the upgrades gave players a reason to explore, even if they were less exciting than in previous games. Ryckert said the customization felt incomplete and confusing, though he liked the new armor on Kratos.
Some flaws were noted. Plessas said the biggest issue was not having a "New Game Plus" option, which would let players replay the game. Juba said the game rarely lost its momentum, but some features, like the map and fast-travel system, were inconvenient. He said the map made it hard to track Kratos’s location, and the fast-travel system was awkward to use.
Sequel
After God of War was announced in mid-2016, Barlog stated that Kratos would return in future games. He mentioned that after the Norse mythology era, the series might explore Egyptian or Maya mythology. The 2018 game focused on Norse mythology but hinted that other mythologies could exist in the same world. Barlog also said he supported having different directors for each game, as had happened during the Greek era. While he might not direct another God of War game, he would continue working at Santa Monica Studio on future projects.
A sequel, God of War Ragnarök, was officially announced during the PlayStation 5 Showcase in September 2020. It was originally planned for a 2021 release but was delayed partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The game was finally released worldwide on November 9, 2022, for both PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. This marked the first time a God of War game was available on both console generations. Barlog left his role as game director and became a producer and creative director. Eric Williams, who had worked on all previous games in the series, took over as the new game director. Ragnarök takes place three years after the 2018 game and ends the Norse mythology era of the series.
Television series
In March 2022, it was announced that a live-action television series based on the God of War video game was being developed by Amazon Prime Video. Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, and Rafe Judkins were involved in the project. Later that year, in May 2022, Jim Ryan, president of Sony Interactive Entertainment, confirmed that a God of War television series was in development for Prime Video. The series was officially approved in December 2022 and is being produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios, with PlayStation Productions as a partner. It will premiere on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories worldwide. Executive producers include Barlog, Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan from PlayStation Productions, Yumi Yang from Santa Monica Studio, and Roy Lee from Vertigo Entertainment. Jeff Ketcham from Santa Monica Studio is a co-executive producer. The series will focus on the Norse era, beginning with the events of the 2018 video game.
Vernon Sanders, head of television at Amazon Studios, stated the series would remain faithful to the game. He mentioned the first season would center on the father-and-son relationship, which would be the main theme of the entire series. Asad Qizilbash said the team would approach the series with the same care as the The Last of Us television adaptation, allowing them to tell the full story of the game across multiple episodes.
Initially, Fergus, Ostby, and Judkins were writing the series and serving as executive producers. By January 2024, writing had begun. However, in October 2024, it was reported that Fergus, Ostby, and Judkins left the project after Sony and Prime Video decided to restart the series in a new direction. Ronald D. Moore, a well-known creator and showrunner, was then hired as the series writer, showrunner, and executive producer. In March 2025, Moore announced that Amazon had ordered two seasons of the series. Pre-production began in December 2025 in Vancouver, with casting underway. Frederick E. O. Toye will direct the first two episodes.
Casting announcements started in January 2026. Ryan Hurst, who played Thor in God of War Ragnarök, will portray Kratos. Teresa Palmer will play Sif, Max Parker will play Heimdall, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson will play Thor, Mandy Patinkin will play Odin, Danny Woodburn will play Brok, Jeff Gulka will play Sindri, and Ed Skrein will play Baldur. Alastair Duncan will reprise his role as Mímir, and child actor Callum Vinson will play Atreus. The series officially began production on February 27, 2026.