God of War is Dominating on Twitch

It's Friday, April 20, 2018, also known as, national God of War day. That's right God of War released onto PlayStation 4 today. And to accompany it's record-breaking critical acclaim, it is currently dominating the Twitch streaming charts.

At the moment of writing this, the brand-new PS4 exclusive is at 280,646 viewers, which is about a 100,000 more than the next popular game in terms of viewership, Fortnite, and we all know how popular Fortnite is.

What makes this feat most impressive is the fact that God of War is a single-player, narrative-heavy game. There is no multiplayer. And as you may know, PvP multiplayer games consistently dominate Twitch viewership charts, without fail.

Very rarely does a single-player game shoot to the top like God of War has. One of the last games to do it was Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which I'm sure is company developer Santa Monica Studio doesn't mind being in.

Whether God of War will be able to keep this up through the weekend – let alone through next week – remains to be seen. Probably not. Fortnite has a tendency to boomerang right back to the top pretty quickly when it is dethroned.

Nonetheless, it's an impressive achievement for the game, and is good, early marker for just how popular the PlayStation 4 exclusive is.

God of War is available exclusively for the PlayStation 4, where it costs $59.99 USD. If you haven't already, be sure to peep our glowing review of the game, where we dive into how it is an impressive new direction for the series, and a generational defining title.

Below, you can read more on the game, courtesy of an official overview:

From Santa Monica Studio and creative director Cory Barlog comes a new beginning for one of gaming's most recognizable icons. Living as a man outside the shadow of the gods, Kratos must adapt to unfamiliar lands, unexpected threats, and a second chance at being a father. Together with his son Atreus, the pair will venture into the brutal Norse wilds and fight to fulfill a deeply personal quest.

• Bold New Beginning — His vengeance against the Gods of Olympus years behind him, Kratos now lives as a man in the realm of Norse Gods and monsters. It is in this harsh, unforgiving world that he must fight to survive…And teach his son to do the same. This startling reimagining of God of War deconstructs the core elements that defined the series—satisfying combat breathtaking scale and a powerful narrative—and fuses them anew.
• A Second Chance — Kratos is a father again. As mentor and protector to Atreus, a son determined to earn his respect, he is forced to deal with and control the rage that has long defined him while out in a very dangerous world with his son.
• A Darker, More Elemental World — From the marble and columns of ornate Olympus to the gritty forests, mountains, and caves of Pre-Viking Norse lore, this is a distinctly new realm with its own pantheon of creatures, monsters, and gods. With an added emphasis on discovery and exploration, the world will draw players in to explore God of War's breathtakingly threatening landscape—by far the largest in the franchise.
• Vicious, Physical Combat — With an over the shoulder free camera that brings the player closer to the action than ever before, fights in God of War mirror the pantheon of Norse creatures Kratos will face: grand, gritty, and grueling. A new main weapon and new abilities retain the defining spirit of God of War while presenting a vision of violent conflict that forges new ground in the genre.