One of the most notable titles that was missing from Summer Game Fest's kickoff stream was God of War Ragnarök. Across both Sony's State of Play stream, and the kickoff stream, God of War was nowhere to be found. With a late 2022 release date still projected, many players expected Ragnarok to show up on either of these streams, but the game wasn't present at all.
Since its announcement in September 2020, God of War Ragnarok has been a highly anticipated game for many PlayStation players. Initially announced for a 2021 release date, the game was delayed by the summer of 2021, with the reason being confirmed by Ragnarok's Kratos actor, Christopher Judge, as a personal health issue. After that delay, fans have been eagerly anticipating winter 2022 as the release window for this highly anticipated sequel.
With both the State of Play and Summer Game Fest showcase going by without any mention of the game, it seems like God of War Ragnarok is poised for a delay into 2023. Two of the biggest summer gaming events transpiring without a showcase of the game seems like an indication that the game might not make its 2022 target. This would be an incredibly unfortunate delay for PlayStation, especially considering how wide open the 2022 holiday season currently is for releases.
Ragnarok's Absence From Summer Game Fest Hints At A Delay
Since rumors claimed a God of War Ragnarok delay to 2023 before the summer gaming events, Ragnarok's absence from them seems to give these rumors more believability. It is still possible that PlayStation could do another PlayStation Showcase in the fall, but it's hard to believe Sony would wait to start hyping one of its most anticipated games. That being said, The Last of Us' newly announced remake, The Last of Us Part 1, is releasing less than three months after its announcement. But with the rumors of a delay and the game being missing from all major summer events so far, it seems like the perfect storm for a 2023 release for Ragnarok.
However, delays are not entirely bad for God of War Ragnarok. A delayed release likely helps the development team avoid crunch that could ruin Ragnarok's story, which could ensure a quality product on all fronts. While another delay would be unfortunate for eager fans, a rushed product would be even more unfortunate.
With its absence from summer gaming events and recent rumors, a delay to 2023 seems plausible for God of War Ragnarok. While the tight announcement to release timeline of The Last of Us: Part 1 gives a small glimmer of hope for Ragnarok in 2022, it still seems unlikely. Either way, God of War fans should soon know when the anticipated sequel to the 2018 game will release.