How God of War Ragnarok Sets Up Future Games

It should come as no surprise whatsoever that God of War Ragnarok sets the stage for future games in the God of War series to come about down the road. Even though Ragnarok seemingly marks the end of the franchise in the Norse pantheon, groundwork is also laid at the game's conclusion to set up new installments tied to the long-running PlayStation property. And while it remains to be seen where Santa Monica Studio opts to go next, some very obvious teases seem to have been made. 

Spoiler Warning!: The end of God of War Ragnarok is discussed heavily from this point onward. Don't read unless you'd like to know what happens at the game's conclusion. 

Based on the final moments of God of War Ragnarok, it seems as though the baton has most likely been passed to Atreus as the franchise's main protagonist. Although Kratos is very much still alive by the end of Ragnarok, his own character arc has come to a bit of a natural conclusion. Despite once being a young man that brought about nothing but havoc and death in his wake, Kratos has instead found a way to settle the demons from his past and become different from who he was.

With Kratos's story feeling like it's reached an ending point, Atreus's story feels like it's only just beginning. Ragnarok wraps up with Atreus realizing that he must go on a journey by himself to find any remaining Giants that might still be alive. Atreus doesn't know where his adventure will take him or how long he might be gone, but it's something that he knows he has to do by himself. 

In short, this feels like the most logical place for the God of War series to go next. Rather than sending Kratos off to do battle in another pantheon (which feels completely against what he would actually want), following Atreus as he begins a life of his own seems ripe with storytelling opportunities. Better yet, Kratos could still be in the picture in these future games, even if he's no longer the focal point. 

One of the other big reasons why Atreus feels likely to be the center of the God of War series in the future is because Ragnarok makes him a playable character. While this might not seem like that big of a deal, it marks the first time that any God of War game has let players control someone else outside of Kratos. Atreus is also still young in the events of Ragnarok, which means that Santa Monica Studio still has a lot of ground to cover on a gameplay front as his godly powers become more pronounced as he ages. 

Basically, the future of God of War can be whatever Santa Monica Studio wants it to be. Even though I personally think it might be time for Kratos to stay on the sidelines, it seems apparent that Atreus is set up to have a series of his own. Whether or not these potential games would still exist under the "God of War" banner isn't yet known, but I have a hard time believing that we won't see Atreus get thrust further into the spotlight in the coming years. 

What are you hoping to see from God of War in the future? And where do you think the series will go following the events of Ragnarok? Be sure to let me know either down in the comments or message me on Twitter at @MooreMan12.