Preventing the end of the nine realms in a mythical Norse landscape

Nature · Published 2 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In God of War Ragnarök, Kratos and his teenage son Atreus must navigate a world transformed by Fimbulwinter. As the eschatological event of Norse mythology looms, they face a race against time to stop the destruction of the nine realms and confront the consequences of their past actions.

Released on November 9, 2022, for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, God of War Ragnarök serves as the sequel to the 2018 title. It is the ninth installment in the series and the tenth chronologically. The narrative is loosely based on Norse mythology and follows the efforts of Kratos and Atreus to prevent Ragnarök, a cataclysmic event foretold after Kratos killed the Aesir god Baldur.

The game's setting has been dramatically altered by Fimbulwinter, a three-year-long winter that began after the previous game. This environmental shift has turned Midgard into a frigid wasteland and frozen the Lake of the Nine. While players visit all nine realms, the landscape varies from the fiery Muspelheim to the lush Vanaheim, home to the Vanir gods and the giant wolves Sköll and Hati.

Gameplay mechanics have evolved significantly since the 2018 predecessor. Kratos utilizes the ice-infused Leviathan Axe, the fire-infused Blades of Chaos, and the wind-infused Draupnir Spear. For the first time in the series, players can take full control of Atreus during specific story segments. The game also introduced the Valhalla DLC on December 15, 2023, a roguelite epilogue where Kratos faces trials within Asgard to reconcile with his Greek past.

The title has seen massive commercial success, selling 5.1 million units in its first week—the fastest-selling first-party launch in PlayStation history. By November 2023, sales exceeded 15 million units. Its quality was recognized by major institutions, earning 11 nominations at the Game Awards 2022 and 15 nominations at the 19th British Academy Games Awards.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How a Spartan warrior traded Greek tragedy for the frozen realms of Norse myth
• From Greek Vengeance to Norse Redemption: The Evolution of the God of War Franchise
• A retro-styled God of War prequel explores Kratos’s early life in ancient Sparta
• Ragnarök is not just the end of the world, but a cycle of rebirth.
• The cosmic cycle of destruction and rebirth in the Norse Nine Worlds
• Godzilla's name blends the Japanese words for gorilla and whale
• Goats were among the first livestock—and still climb trees to browse
• Hollywood's 2019 Godzilla sequel honoured the man inside the original rubber suit
• Jaws remade vertebrates and now define nearly every living one
• The golden eagle rules the widest eagle range on Earth
• Car-sized armoured glyptodonts turned out to be true armadillos
• Every golden hamster in your home likely descends from one female captured in 1930.

More in Organisms · More in Nature · Latest · A–Z · All topics