Kratos' appearance in the realm of Norse mythology at the reveal of 2018's God of War was a huge moment for fans. Not only were players going to get a brand new epic journey with the embodiment of rage, but seeing him appear in a different mythology altogether also opened the door for further adventures. Bringing the burly, bearded demi-god to Midgard made sense; he was already in fine Viking form and would fit right in. But where else could Kratos go?
The God of War series was initially set in Greek mythology, and focused on Kratos, the demi-god of rage. Through his tale of vengeance, Kratos destroyed the Greek pantheon in what was thought to be the end of his story, culminating in God of War 3. Years later, Kratos emerged once again in the 2018 soft reboot set in Norse mythology. In this depiction, Kratos is older, slower, and somewhat less rage-filled. The events of the game lead into the upcoming sequel God of War Ragnarök.
The developers at Santa Monica Studios have confirmed that God of War Ragnarök would be the closing chapter in Norse mythology. But this leaves an open question as to where Kratos and Atreus might find themselves going next. What lands or mythologies might be a good fit for God of War going forward?
God Of War Could Head To Egypt After Ragnarök
His stature and actions have helped him blend into Norse mythology well, but if Ragnarök is indeed the end, the next game will need to move on to a new realm. The logical next location in terms of recognition would be Egyptian mythology. Not only would Kratos find himself more at home with a culture at least more vaguely similar to his own, but it offers just as diverse and unique a pantheon of gods for Kratos to interact with. Set, Horus, Anubis, Ra, Osiris, and many more would make for an interesting dynamic as the Egyptian pantheon is vast, but not quite so seemingly human as the Greeks or battle-focused as the Norse. Many would agree the three most recognizable mythologies are that of Greek, Norse, and Egyptian, and while the next game could certainly explore other cultures, it doesn't seem likely that moving on to something smaller would be the right move.
There is also the notion of explaining Kratos' arrival in Midgard as it is not definitively told how he crossed into another realm. This could lead to a new hub-world system, not unlike the one used in God of War to traverse the realms, allowing the player to explore a few lesser-known cultural mythologies instead. It is also worth considering that players don't know what the ultimate fate of Kratos will be by the time Ragnarök ends. He tells Atreus near the end of the first game that he would allow himself to die if it meant Atreus would live. Given that his son is growing up and finding his own way - and the very nature of Ragnarök itself - it's entirely possible Kratos could meet his end by the time the credits close, letting Atreus explore the realms as he sees fit and perhaps taking up his mother's ax in the process.
Santa Monica Studios have confirmed that God of War Ragnarök will be the final Norse chapter of the series, but there are plenty of places to go from there. Egypt offers the most varied and compelling, well-known pantheon, but they could also offer brief glimpses into other realms as players search for a new home after the destruction of Midgard and the nine realms. It's also possible that Ragnarök will see the end of Kratos, seeing players journey with a playable Atreus instead.